Not walking alone
by NCR Ranger
Summary: Tani's pregnant, she and Junior are planning to marry, and Steve, Danno, and company know they'll have to step down soon. 5-0 won't be the same again- but not for the worse.
1. Chapter 1

" _Woah_ ! "

With a quick duck of his quasi-fro head, Junior avoided the projectile that had been lobbed at him, twisting to one side as he did so, mere seconds after he'd entered his kitchen, on a pleasantly overcast Monday morning.

The projectile in question- a long handled wooden serving spoon- missed him by only about 2 inches, at most. It sailed past his right ear, and clattered noisily to the tiled floor beside him.

Still partially frozen after dodging the impromptu missile, Junior kept his hands raised, in what he hoped was a placating gesture , before slowly turning to face to face who was responsible for the cutlery assault.

" Woah, Tani ! What did I do ?! ", he exclaimed, lifting both hands, palms up and out.

Arms and crossed, the 5-0 Task Force's newest ranking officer stood, feet planted, on the other side of the kitchen, having fixed him with a pointed, directed gaze. It _quite_ unmistakably said she had something to say to him.

" You left _all_ the cupboards open ", Tani scolded, gesturing sharply behind her at them. " All of them. Just, hanging and swinging out. "

Glancing up cautiously, Junior noticed she was right; all the cupboard doors _were_ actually open. Yawing wide, with several of them now exposing the rather neatly stacked dishes and cups they held within.

 _Ah, of course._

Now Junior remembered. They'd been stored that way for a while now; courtesy of Tani's newfound ( and oddly strong ) focus on neatness and rearranging things around the house.

He was also keenly aware, of course, of her somewhat unpredictable temper.

" Well, mister ? ", Tani prodded, eyebrow raised.

" Oh. That's my mistake, yeah. ", Junior smiled, a bit sheepishly, for her benefit.

It couldn't hurt, he decided, to offer something like that. Junior was well aware of the positive effects of smiling warmly to help defuse certain situations, alone with quickly admitting when you were the one to blame. Sometimes, defense was better than offense.

Sometimes, such as now.

It proved to be correct, as Tani huffed and rolled her eyes, but uncrossed her arms, and flipped a lock of brunette hair over her shoulder with a slight movement of her head.

" On my way out this morning ", Junior took the opportunity to elaborate, opting to smooth things even more with a bit of backstory, " for my usual jog, I was looking for my favorite mug. Thought I'd put it away, then remembered I'd left it in the fridge overnight full of hot tea to cool down- "

Tani raised a hand herself now, palm out.

Junior stopped, mid-sentence.

" Say no more. _I'll_ take care of this ", she proclaimed firmly, pivoting gracefully away to do just that.

" Consider yourself fortunate you have me around to do things like this. _Someone_ 's got to keep this place shipshape. "

Tossing those last dual statements over her shoulder, Tani diligently began to ease each cabinet door closed, as Junior ambled over, thumbs hooked into his exercise shorts pockets, to retrieve the spoon.

Straightening up after grabbing it, Junior turned his head to find that Tani had her back to him, continuing to shut every cupboard door, muttering to herself about how hard was it to ensure that all doors were shut _before_ you left.

Junior looked down at the spoon in his hand. This had, after all, just been thrown at him, over the fact that he'd left some _cupboards_ open. That alone seemed wholly unwarranted, and technically, it was.

Yet he smiled again anyway. There was something about all of this that had him doing that, and it overshadowed nearly getting clocked by a flying fragment of wood.

Tossing the spoon onto the table in the middle of the kitchen, he strode over to where Tani was, easing the last door firmly closed.

" _There._ This is exactly-"

Which was as far as she got, before Junior embraced her, slipping both arms around her shoulders from behind, and gently pulling her against him.

Tani gasped slightly, quietly, out of straightforward surprise.

" Junes- ! "

"- ' how you like to keep them ? ' ", Junior filled the rest of her sentence in, speaking in a tone that had just the right amount of relaxed warmth to it. " Allright, not a problem. I'll be sure to stay on that more going forward, ok ? "

Tani let go of the cupboard door handle she was holding onto, letting her arm fall to her side.

She exhaled again, though now, it was more relaxed, mirroring what Junior had said.

" Junes, I- sorry about that. ", she admitted.

Tani shook her head.

" I just, you know. These days, I just get _sensitive_ about things like this. Its-

She was cut off- again- when Junior proceeded to slide his right hand down her right side, before positioning it-

Squarely on her belly.

" Its not entirely your fault, _upcoming mother_ ", Junior reminded her.

Yes. _Mother._

It was roughly a month from when Tani had discovered she was pregnant, up till the current moment. During those past few weeks, the young woman had been hit by more than a few of the effects of it:

To name one, she was still getting hunger cravings. Several times, Junior had been woken- yes, woken- late into the night, not too often past midnight, by her, pressingly stating she was desperately hankering for something to eat- and more often than not, that something was toast. Whether she got it herself, or shanghaied Junior to do it for her, was a _bit_ randomized.

Usually, Junior got the job.

Then, there was the ones Junior had just encountered ( again ) just now: taking a lot of care in organizing and cleaning, rearranging and neatness. As a military man, Junior wasn't a stranger to the concept of keeping things in order, but Tani was now getting into it- in a very, well, _maternal_ way. It seemed like everything that had been the way it was, now couldn't be, not to her. It all had to be rearranged, altered, and replaced.

And, finally, the other one: Temper, and unpredictable triggers.

Aside from throwing a spoon at him, Tani had also once swatted him upside the head- rather hard- with a couch pillow for daring to suggest that they watch _Star Wars the Clone Wars,_ rather than _The Expanse._ That also wasn't counting when she'd complained for nearly 5 straight minutes for when he'd let his wake up alarm go off at max volume.

Collectively, this was all pretty much just the tip of the iceberg. It was a learning experience for both of them, as the days marched by.

An illuminating one, as well.

Tani put her hand over his.

" You're covering for me. Again. ", Tani pointed out.

" Yes. " There was no denying that from Junior.

" You _sure_ you want to put up with this till our new arrival gets here ? Day in, day out. "

On some level, they both knew that was a moot point. But, even so-

Some things, they just had you wanting to say them aloud. Especially something like this, something that had such an profound effect on both of them. It was the beginning, after all. They were entering it together, at least, but the scale of this journey was _so much_ to take in, even now.

" I am certain, Tani. SEAL, remember ? Trained to handle tough situations. "

She chuckled softly, shaking her head. " There you go again, being all machismo. "

" Is that bad ? "

A short pause. " I can't say so. "

Junior kissed the spot just above her ear.

" Come on. " Junior stepped back, letting his fingers trail through her hair.

" Let's get a proper breakfast in you before we drag ourselves to the office. Enjoy what field work you can still do. "

As he headed toward the stove, planning to flick it on to prepare some oats:

" You were going to say ' Before you get all big and round ', weren't you ? ", Tani queried.

Stopping, then slowly turning to face her, Junior smirked.

" You said it, not me. "

" Aggh ! Where's that spoon !? "

They both savored the moment, and the shared laugh it brought on.

Overall, it wasn't a bad beginning.


	2. A sneak peek

" Couldn't this stuff be _warmed up_ a bit, first ? . "

Lying nearly fully reclined on the medical examination table, Tani couldn't help but comment on the temperature of the transparent gel that was being meticulously applied over her bared midriff.

One which wasn't _quite_ as flat and toned as it had usually been, and only a only a few months ago to boot. She'd had to kiss goodbye to her formerly trim and athletic form a long while ago.

Because by now, of course there was a distinctive, rounded bulge to said midriff. Junior found that'd he was often assuring her it wasn't _massive_ \- as Tani glumly kept claiming it was- but it _could_ be noticed from conversation distance. Unless she wore loose-fitting tops, the slowly growing, telltale swell was a dead giveaway.

So, in addition to her gradually changing form ( " If you call me fat, the Task Force will be dealing with a new body ", she'd warned him ), _and_ having to get outfitted with more, _maternity friendly_ clothing ( " You look _good_ in that billowy dress ! Trust me" , Junior had insisted once ), Tani had to undergo these regular scans.

Ultrasound scanning was indeed another component of the pregnancy road, thought arguably the one she was having the most difficulty getting used to. As she'd confided to Junior earlier, she wasn't a fan of being on her back anywhere aside from the beach, or at home. Junior, of course, sympathized, but also pointed out that she still had to be there.

Which Tani now was; laid up, in a medical center ( which was giving her just a mild case of white coat syndrome ), getting some less-than-room-temperature Ultrasound gel slathered over her belly.

It wasn't _cold_ , per se, but as she stared down the length of her at it, she was keenly aware that it was near enough to that so she felt a certain tingling, spiky sensation as more of it touched her bare skin, and congealed in place. Mild shivers rippled between her shoulders, and down her back. It was just a natural, understandable, reaction to anything less than room temperature touching one's skin, she knew, but even so:

" Ah ! "

She flinched, just a scant, barely noticeable millimeter or so, away from the bemusedly smiling obstetrician who'd just finished applying the gel, and now began to evenly spread it around.

" Don't _worry_ ", Dr Halena ( for that was her name ) reassuringly stated. " One upside to this, is that is captures your body heat relatively fast. Should be warm soon. "

" I sure hope so ", Tani sighed, reflexively shifting back the other way, also by just about a millimeter.

" Besides, I want to get to the _important_ bit of all this. "

The obstetrician chuckled, as did the third person in the room.

That third person, seated off to Tani's right, leaning forward ( hinting at how interested he was in what was going on ), in a padded chair, was none other than Junior himself.

He had one hand comfortably placed on Tani's arm, and the other was propping his goatee-sporting chin up, as he observed all that was going in front of him with great interest.

And, his trademark lopsided grin.

Gently, he massaged his fingertips in circles across her wrist, straying slightly up onto her forearm.

" Well, we didn't come all this way to get some kind of elaborate, obscure, gel based skin treatment, did we ? ", he asked, clearly enjoying the rhetorical nature of the question.

Tani directed one of her gazes- and doing so seemed to be a skill of hers- at him, turning her head his way.

This one in particular was one of a perfect fit to what Junior's just said: One brow raised, lips twitched into a " That was weak, but I _still_ find it funny " kind of way, and with her eyes carrying a distinct degree of amusement.

It was a look Junior'd gotten from her more than a few times over the years, and even more so these days, Tani's pregnancy-warped emotions aside. He'd gotten used to it, and quite frankly, he'd come to enjoy it. Relationships were built on the little things like this; the little gestures, looks, expressions and inside ways of communications that only the two who were " in the loop ", so to speak, could understand. It was a unique code, a language.

One they were both fluent in. It couldn't be taught to anyone other than them.

Easily catching on, Junior offered an easy grin, and shrugged.

" Took too many cues from McGarrett. My sense of humor is warped as badly as his is. "

" _That's_ being kind. You're _definitely_ his protege."

Junior shrugged, acknowledging she was right, yet again.

 _Especially_ about this.

He may have gotten onto the team by volunteering on his own, but after that, he'd wound up emulating the great Steve McGarrett, and considering him to be not only his superior officer, but his mentor as well. Someone he automatically learned habits and mannerisms from, because it seemed to be a trait of Steve, that those who followed him _gradually_ became a tad more reckless. And a bit more stubborn.

Apples, it turns out, don't fall far from the tree.

" And, you know he's proud of you. So am I ", Tani reminded him.

" You're a good man. More or less, anyway. "

In the face of such adorably left handed praise, what else could Junior do, but laugh softly, bowing his head and shaking it a bit.

"So I've come to realize. "

The moment was savored, but then Dr Halena spoke up again:

" _Allright_ , then. We're ready ! "

Having completed her preparations, the obstetrician tugged on her pink medical gloves, ensuring they were fully and properly fitted, before proceeding to go over and lift the ultrasound scanner.

" Before we begin ", she advised, turning to address both of them, " Do you want to whether he, or she ? Or, would you prefer it be a surprise ? "

Junior and Tani glanced at each other.

This was easily the kind of important call that could've hit them hard from the side, a serious conundrum that could've had them dithering about it intensely, right here and now.

But, no.

It was one of the first things they'd agreed upon.

As odd as it may seem to some, both of them had come to agreement: They _did_ want to know.

Not that'd love their little girl or boy any less due to that, but the euphoria Tani'd been feeling lately ( one emotion out of many that she flickered between ), had her borderline obsessed with finding out which of the either two genders their child was.

" I want to say ' Yes, a _girl/boy_ , if anyone asks", she's explained to him. " Not ' Well, I don't know. That's- Well, I just want to know! "

Personally, Junior didn't mind the idea of being surprised, but he knew better than to get in the way of a pregnant woman's wishes. Besides, once they did know, it'd be fun to prepare exactly according to which one it was.

This was what they'd decided on.

" Yes, we do. ", Junior stated.

Tani nodded firmly.

" Well,if you've both agreed- ", Dr Halena paused, giving either of them a last chance to back out.

Neither of them did, though.

" Well, in that case . "

" Here we go ", she declared, pressing the device firmly, but carefully, into the gel layer, and checking to see the the monitor was displaying the feed clearly and correctly, which it was.

Junior gradually slid his hand into position, atop Tani's.

He placed a kiss to the top her brunette head.

" Nervous ? ", he asked.

With a pleasant hum, Tani responded:

" Well, one of us. This is _exciting_ for me. Can't even begin to say how much. "

" Ok: we're _both_ nervous _and_ excited more than either of us can say. ", she quickly amended. " Honestly, I can't think of any other way to feel. "

" Neither can I ".

Again, the moment lasted for just a few seconds- just a few- but for them, _to_ them, it wasn't so much how _long_ it was, as it was that they shared it together. Needless to say ( so much so, that they didn't actually say it, as opposed to most " needless to say " things ), getting their very first peek at their impending arrival counted counted at the top.

" Let's see , who's there ". Dr. Heleana began to move the scanner, letting it glide over Tani's stomach, its waves revealing what was going on beneath the surface.

All 3 heads in the room turned to the monitor, fixated on what it was showing them as the scanner was pushed about.

Tani and Junior peered at the images, at the curved, grey and white, grainy display. It was crawling into focus, shifting and flickering as the scanner fed its sounding data into the system. It still wasn't exactly easy for Tani and Junior ( at least ) to read, though, but-

" Ah ! _There_ we go ! "

Stopping the scanner's movement, Dr. Heleana pointed one index finger at the far left end of the roughly fan-shaped image.

" Right there. "

The impending parents shifted their gaze where she'd indicated, focusing on it.

A second or so later:

" Oh, _my God_. Is- is that who I think it is ? ", Tani exclaimed, in a profoundly stunned tone, as she stared at what they were all seeing.

" Is- "

Junior had seen it as well. He turned to address the obstetrician.

" That's-

Dr Halena looked at him, beaming with real delight, and nodded.

" Yes. "

" You're looking at your baby boy. "

* * *

 **Your. Baby. Boy**

The words boomed and echoed in both Tani and Junior's ears, the second they heard them.

It was, to be utterly honest, _surreal_ to hear them. Or, rather, to comprehend exactly what they meant: that they were looking. To look at, what they meant, _and_ to hear them.

 ** _Your. Baby. Boy_**

It was powerful. _Overwhelmingly_ powerful; a moment rivaled only by when Tani'd found out she was pregnant to begin with. They'd known, yes,but still ! This was a entirely different level. One so fat above the one before, you couldn't see that one anymore.

 _Seeing. Hearing_. _Both._

Junior felt his pulse speed up. His mouth had come open; a silent gasp of pure amazement.

Tani's mouth had both her hands clapped over it. Tears quickly began to gather in her eyes.

For a good handful of seconds, neither of them could speak, even if they'd been able to find the right words, or enough of them.

Which, they couldn't. How could they ?

Dr Halena was in fine mood as well. She was certainly reading theirs, and completely seemed to understand.

" Its ok if you want to start crying ", she advised Tani. " I certainly won't be judging you. "

Junior eased his mouth shut, blinked a few times ( noting that his eyes did feel a _little_ wet, at the corners ), and turned to look at Tani.

Just as she _did_ begin weeping. It was not loud, nor theatrical; this was _real_ crying. Her face was hidden behind her palms, and her shoulders were quivering. Junior heard the _hff, hh_ , of tears softly being shed.

But, there was still a difference, between sad crying, and joyful crying. Sad crying, was louder. There was a note of _bitterness,_ and whoever was doing it often had to gasp to breathe. That was sad crying.

This, though, wasn't that.

This was the exact opposite; there was borderline _laughter_ , between the tears.

Junior felt exactly the same.

" Tani ", he exclaimed, beaming at her, " I think we need to think of names. "

Tani uncovered her face, and met his gaze.

In it, Junior saw a a near perfect reflection of everything he was feeling at the moment: outright joy, fearful of the future- of their future, _theirs_ and this unborn _boy_ -, and tremendous optimism and excitement for it all. _That_ kind, that they couldn't say, but didn't need to. They knew many different things they wanted to say, things that would fit _perfectly,_ but neither of them could speak now.

Like all important moments, though, it was shared without words.

Finally, though, Tani found some

"J-Junes. I- "

She reached out both arms to him, Without missing a beat, Junior embraced her right back.

He noted the scent of her hair.

" -I can't even- "

" Its _allright_ , ", Junior assured her, feeling his mouth stretch in another wide smile. " Its better than allright. "

" That's _our_ boy. "

" _Ours_. "


	3. Junior mk 2

" How about, _this_ one ? "

" No. That's a bad idea. "

" Ok, allright. Well, how about, _this_ one ? "

" No. That is an even worse idea. "

" You're being _even more_ difficult and irrational than usual, but ok. How about, then, _this_ one ? "

" That's the worst idea of them all, Steve. Which, to be roughly fair, pretty much encompasses most of your decisions. "

Huffing with restrained annoyance, Steve could only respond by pinching the bridge of his nose, and shaking his shaven head .

Yet _again,_ higher than they thought it possible for anyone to count, Steve found himself strongly wondering why, on God's Earth, did he continue to tolerate the incessant and shameless saltiness of this New Jersey specimen. He'd traveled all the way to one of the most gorgeous and temperate places on Earth- _Hawaii_ -and had gone and brought the place down with his spiky attitude.

Danno was just outright _impossible_ , more than 3/4 of these days. Worst of all, he seemed to take _pride_ in it. He had an actual smirk on that ( increasingly more ) creased face.

Such as right now:

The " ideas " he'd so gleefully shot down, had been Steve's choices of stuffed animal toys, piled and stacked in jumbled piled on the racks of Creative Kids Stuff, to buy as baby gifts for Tani and Junior.

There was a staggering variety of the plush, soft things, or at least they appeared to be to someone unused to shopping for them, a group which Steve was certainly a part of:

There were Tigers and elephants, lions and parrots. There were chipmunks, dolphins, sharks and giraffes, with rhinos and koalas thrown in for good measure. All were vibrantly ( or at least, strikingly ) resembling their living counterparts, and some of them even emitted squeaking noises, or equally squeaky sounding exclamations when squeezed.

In short, it was a _buffet_ of suitable choices for an infant to play with.

Steve _thought_ so, at least. They all seemed the same to him, more or less.

Still, he didn't like just grabbing _any_ of them at random and leaving with it, though. This was supposed to be a gift, and thus, it had to contain some meaning behind it.

It had to represent, _something_.

That was why Steve had chosen snakes. More specifically, a _rattlesnake._ For a plush toy, it was actually fairly lifelike, with a hardened rattle on the tip of its tail, sandy shaded scales,

" Those are all _snakes_ , Steve. Reptilian hunters." , the Jersey Specimen pointed out.

" Yes, Danno. I _know_ that. "

" If you do, then why're you getting them ? "

Steve scoffed again. He turned to face Danno, patiently gesturing with one hand.

" Listen, Dan. ", he began, delighting in how Danno glared momentarily at the use of his shortened name. He wasn't the only one who could, and would, use all verbal ammo that he could.

" I'll keep it short: This is a snake, and you know what snakes are ? "

" Legless, hissing beasts that can kill you with a few drops of their immensely lethal spit- aka, venom ? ", Danno ventured. " Or that they ear-less ? "

Choosing to ignore such insolence, for now, Steve retorted:

" _Stealthy_ , Danno. They're stealthy creatures who're master ambushers, and when they spring those ambushes, they're _fast_ , and _direct_. "

" Just like _SEALs_ . "

He proudly pointed to himself as he spoke the name of the naval commandos, accompanying it by smirking and folding his arms

"That's me, and that's Junior. He's the father, after all ".

It was a well crafted, sensible argument.

Unfortunately for Steve, he was speaking to someone to which well crafted, sensible arguments were _his_ trade, and blood. He'd not met anyone who could top Danno in those fields, and he was about to be reminded of that, yet again.

" Well, firstly, _Steven_ \- "

" _Hey !_ "

Brushing past Steve's indignant objection, Danno continued:

"While that actually has a _modicum_ of sense to it, its still a bad idea. You know why ? "

Steve raised a finger, clearly planning to interrupt.

Danno, however, didn't give him the chance.

" Of course you don't. So, I'll tell you why. Yeah, sure, _maybe_ _snakes_ got a few things in common with you jarheads-

" Hey, hey ! Don't confuse us SEALs with _those_ landlubbers ! "

" All _right_ , Mr Trident. _Anyway_ , its got _some_ things in common with SEALs, _but,_ that's just you and Junior. What about Tani, hm ? "

On the verge of saying something to put Danno in his place, Steve stopped, mouth slightly open.

" Or, ", Danno pressed , " The pint sized he/ she ? "

Steve blinked, raised a hand, but still said nothing.

Danno cackled, mouth widening with a triumphant grin.

" Steve. exe has encountered an error ! ".

" Its _all_ you could think of when it comes to buying toys, isn't it ? "

Danno didn't stop grinning as he spoke, savoring the frustration it was garnering from Steve. As he usually did.

Finally, after a good 4 or so seconds, Steve realized that he had nothing. It was utterly galling to him, but he couldn't deny it. He'd been all excited and enthusiastic about getting gifts for his future ohana's newest arrivals, that it wasn't until he'd actually gotten here, that he realized that he didn't actually know that much about toy shopping at all. When had he ever had to buy things, for _infants_ , anyway ?

Long enough, it seemed, that he'd pretty much forgotten all of it. Or, perhaps his memory was slipping already.

That did not mean, though, he had to give Danno the satisfaction of _hearing_ that he was right. He was as smug of an upstart enough already, and Steve wasn't keen to help him out on that.

Steve was out of his comfort zone here, and he needed someone to help him out in such unfamiliar territory.

Fortunately, though, Danno evidently grasped this, and choose to take the high road, for now. He shrugged, then carefully plucked the rattlesnake from Steve's hand, hefting it once, then tossing it flippantly back where it came from.

" Your head's in the right place, at least. Good intentions and all that. ", Danno told him.

For a moment, he dropped his Jersey wit, and played it straight. That was one of Danno's hidden strengths; his ability to level and be real with Steve, even though he was constantly razzing and poking fun at him at every available opportunity. At the end of the day, they were still ohana.

They were still brothers, and brothers helped each other out.

" Maybe. Trouble is, my head's been in other places, that are pretty far from here ", confessed Steve, though it was hardly a secret. " Kind of foundering a bit. "

" There. I _said_ it. "

Steve mentally kicked himself to actually admitting it, but it was true, and they both knew it. He braced himself for one of Danno's salty comeback, smart aleck lines .

" Come on ". He turned away, beckoning Steve to follow. " _I'll_ find us something, _decent_ , to present to them. "

Exhaling, partially with said frustration, and partially with begrudging acceptance that Danno knew what he was doing, Steve went along with him.

" _This_ way, you shmuck. Let's go. "

" Ok, _alright_. I'll be there. "

Internally, Steve was actually grateful for Danno's assistance. For all this irritable faults and idiosyncrasies, Danno was still someone who knew _significantly_ more about dealing with very young children than Steve did. Having him around _was_ proving to be useful, even though Steve was miles away from ever admitting that to him.

That was a given, right up there with other constants of the universe, such as " Starcraft is an utter masterpiece ", or " Cities are more fun to live in ."

" Follow me ! The one here who actually has a clue ".

" _Yeah_ , alright, alright. Guess I should've let you run this from the get-go. You've got the experience. ", the older SEAL grumbled, hooking his thumbs into the tops of his cargo trouser pockets.

" Mm, hm. You, ah, only understood that _now, or-_ ? "

" Danno. Prove yourself _useful_ , would you ? ", Steve protested.

" Can you _actually_ find a better one ? Or do I need to go back to the snake ? "

" Oh, calm down, calm down ". Danno waved a hand, as he rounded another aisle of the toy section, still lined with all manner of brightly shaded ( and slightly garish for some of them ) child's toys.

" Leave this to me. "

* * *

Less than an hour later,the worthiness of Danno's choice was about to be judged.

 _If_ he'd gotten it right, then Steve would let him take point in all such infant and toy related matters.

If he hadn't, though, then Steve would have a highly convenient scapegoat. Either way, it was something good to look forward to. However devious it may have been of a plan, Steve was content with it. After all, what Danno didn't know would get him to be any more cantankerous than usual.

 _Knnk, knnk, knnk ! Knk, knk !_

" What was that ? Some kind of, boy scout routine ? ", Danno raised an eyebrow at Steve's classical, 3 and 5 knock pattern.

" SEAL brotherhood pact ? "

Rolling his eyes, Steve crossed his arms, and opted not to supply an answer.

" Oh-kay. Strong silent route. Got it. ".

 _Danno. You are a piece of work and a half_

Steve's mind monologue was interrupted at that point, when the door abruptly swung open, revealing Junior standing before them.

" Hey, Junior ! "

Grinning warmly, Steve reached out, and clasped the wrist and forearm of the younger SEAL who's doorstep he was now standing on, giving it a firm pump.

" How're you doing, boy ? "

Junior laughed, nodding in the affirmative as he returned the gesture. " Doing great, Commander. Not always easy, but God, is it worth it. "

" Why so _formal_ ? "

Danno ambled in, just steps behind. Casually cradled under his right arm, was gift-paper wrapped box, which he handily balanced one handed as he offered the other for a greeting one armed hug.

" Come on, come on, bring it in, you. "

" Good to see you to then, Danny ", Junior replied, one again replying the same way.

He stood to one side, waving them both through. The 5-0 veterans obliged, stepping across the threshold, shucking their shoes as they did so.

Junior eased the door shut behind them, then locked it.

" Where's Tani ?", Steve glanced around, noting she wasn't here.

" Oh, she's kind of, well, sulking, up in the bedroom ", Junior admitted. " Something about having to get rid of another one of her favorite blouses. They're not fitting so well anymore. "

" Really ? That doesn't sound like something to get sulky about. ", Steve remarked.

Danno shook his head at Steve's clueless naivety .

" I will add that to the long list of things you know zilch and squat about: dealing with pregnant women on a daily basis. ", he promised.

Steve directed a blunt sideways glance at him.

" You'd better watch your back, Danno, if you want to keep it intact. "

Danno smiled shamelessly ( which was the only way he knew how to smile ) and shrugged.

" Old habits, Steve. "

" Mm hmm, yeah. Emphasis on old. "

" _Anyway_ , " Steve went on, " Junior ? Call her down here. She's got _nothing_ to be shy about. "

Junior rubbed the back of his neck.

" I kind of told her the same thing, boss. It kind of hit a wall. "

" _Junior_ ".

" _Alright_. But, it might get dramatic ".

Exhaling, Junior turned toward the upstairs staircase, headed off toward it, and soon vanished up it.

" That was mean ", Danno observed. " You just badgered him into it. "

"What else was I supposed to do ? Kid does anything I tell him; I can't not use that when its called for. ", Steve defended.

By now,they had wandered further into the house's foyer- the low sitting leather couches with a wooden coffee table between them. Steve seated himself on one of them, putting one leg up over the other, and letting his arms rest on either side of him along its back. It was clearly a way to take up as much of the couch as he could, and have it all to himself.

Frowning, Danno took the hint, and sat across from him, placing the box carefully ( which Steve found quite funny, as what was inside it was soft, and stuffed with cotton ) atop the coffee table.

He folded his arms, and they settled in to wait.

After about a minute or so:

" Snakes, huh ? ",

Steve blinked at Danno's bafflingly abrupt comment.

" What ? "

" Oh, its just that, you were going to get a snake. I thought if you, a SEAL, super tough Navy commando, were getting a stuffed toy, it'd be a, great white shark. Or maybe a dolphin. You know, something, _aquatic_ ".

" That's a cliche ", Steve retorted, pointing a finger at him." There's an _eagle_ on our insignia, after all, need I remind you. "

Danno was mock contemplative for a moment, then nodded.

" Ok. I get that. "

Steve shook his head.

" Where did that even come from, anyway ? _Completely_ out of left field. ", he muttered.

" I hold onto things. You know that. "

" Yeah, that's why you're _still_ miffed about getting shot the day we met. "

" It was _your_ fault. "

" No it wasn't. It was yours. You were careless."

" That's the accusation of the year. Got any evidence ? "

" I do, yes. "

" Where is it, then ? "

Steve was just about to come up with, well, _something_ that was at all sensible as a response , when they both heard the sound of footsteps descending the second floor stairs.

" Oh. Saved by the steps ", Danno chuckled.

Steve grunted, turning around to find that Junior had returned.

With Tani in tow.

Quite literally, actually.

The 5-0 lady was getting half-pulled along by the wrist, with just a hint of reluctance in her step.

" Eyy, _there_ she is ! ", Steve beamed, holding his arms out wide by way of greeting.

Danno grinned, and waved a hand.

" See ? ", Junior stated, glancing at the woman next to him. " Told you they wouldn't mind. "

" _Really_ ?, Tani gave him a sideways glance, gesturing at herself. " I think they're just being polite about, well, _this._ "

Junior looked, and sounded, a bit confused. " You look amazing. "

He did, arguably ( or even more than that ) , have a point: With her long, chocolate locks neatly tied back, but with a few strands dangling loose, and attired in a shin-length , tan shaded dress, Tani did present a rather attractive sight.

" That wasn't my point ".

Without taking her eyes off him, Tani's free hand drifted down to where said point was: the way the fabric of her dress seemed to be pulled tighter around her midsection.

Just a bit, but it was there.

" Great ", she grumbled. " Now I called more attention to how much of a house I look like now. "

" Nonsense ! "

Steve accompanied his declaration, by shaking his head vigorously.

" Junior's right. You look beautiful. Don't let anyone tell you different. "

" I concur with the frogmen ", called out Danno. " Just for once. Its a rarity. "

Tani lowered her head briefly, though the others caught the hint of pinkness to her cheeks. She laughed lightly.

" Thanks, boys. You're princes. Especially you, Junes. "

The younger SEAL responded by kissing the side of Tani's face, getting another chuckle out her.

Steve and Danno looked on, with great amusement.

" I despise interrupting this ", the Jersey specimen called out at last . " Really, I do. But, ahm, _technically_ came here for a reason. "

" To kick back and socialize with your former rookies ? ", Tani guessed, as she allowed Junior to steer her over to , and be seated ( with only a slight amount of awkwardness ) on Steve's side of the table.

" There's an idea " , Junior mused.

" True ", Steve agreed. " But, to answer you, here it is: "

Steve nodded at the wrapped box that sat on the table.

" The point of our unannounced visit ! "

" Because he loves to have his visits _announced_ , with bugles and banners. Fanfare , Danno helpfully put forth.

" You're forgetting drums. And confetti ".

Steve's brows rose at Junior's remark, and turned to look at him with an expression of ' Et tu, brute ? '

Junior read it, and blinked.

Tani crossed her arms, grinning as she watch him caught on the spot.

" Ah- What I _actually_ meant, not that, was- "

" You're not fooling anyone. You know that, right ? " Steve pointed out.

" Oh, he _knows_ ", Tani assured. " It just takes him awhile to admit it. Wait one. "

Realizing that he had no way out of this except to do exactly as she'd said, Junior did.

" Fool _you_ , Commander ? I wouldn't dare. "

" That's right. Because you can't ", Steve declared smugly.

He gestured to the box.

" _Allright_ , you court jesters. Fun as this is, its well overdue that we got to brass tacks ".

" Danno ? Hand it over, would ya ? "

" I _am_ the holding it, so yes. I will. ", Danno reached out, and patted the box, rubbing the smooth, shiny paper.

He then lifted it, and held it out toward the ex rookies.

" Here you go ! With my highest regards ".

Steve cleared his throat pointedly.

" Oh, and his, ", Danno amended, somewhat flippantly .

" Nice save ", grunted a disgruntled Steve.

Junior and Tani shook their heads at the display of usual McDanno malarkey, hiding how entertaining it was for them.

" This is a gift, by the way ", Danno explained. " For both of you. And your upcoming new one, if I didn't already say so. "

" That right ? ", Junior smiled.

Tani nodded in agreement.

" _Very_ sweet . That's real thoughtful of you. "

" Don't thank him too soon ", Steve warned. " Wait till you see it. If you don't like it, just blame him. If you _do_ , _then_ its from both of us"

Steve's hamfisted logic was no surprise to the to the other men, or to Tani; Danno shrugged, and Junior chuckled. Tani raised a brow, and smirked.

" Then I'd better get to opening it, hadn't I ? "

Junior set about it, his fingers deftly moving to discard- methodically, not roughly tearing- the paper covering the box.

Steve and Danno looked on, both anticipating what his reaction would be.

" Come _on_ , " Tani prodded gently. " Don't keep us in suspense. "

" Getting to it. I am getting to it. "

About 3 seconds or so later, they had actually had it:

" And, _volia_ ! "

Finally, Junior removed the contents of the wrapping, and held it up in both hands.

He stared at it for a moment.

" Well ? ", Steve leaned forward, bracing his forearms on his legs.

" You like it, or do you want to throw it at Danno ? "

Tani blinked in clear surprise, leaning back and to the side a bit to look the object up and down.

The " it " , in question, was a penguin.

A stuffed toy Emperor penguin.

Junior held it a bit away from him, then turned it this way and that, examining the toy all over.

The penguin's " feathers ", and all of its body colors, were exactly the right shade as they would be on a living version: white on the front, black around its head and down its back, with a golden band around its neck. Its stubby wings were actually movable as well.

Not too bad of an impression.

"Its- "

Junior hefted it up and down once or twice, testing its weight.

"- I like it ", he declared, smiling at the those who'd brought it to him.

Steve raised a clenched fist in a gesture of triumph- as if it was all his idea, again- while Danno just smirked.

" _Sooo_ cute ! ", Tani giggled, as she reached out, and pinched the penguin's cheeks.

" Yeah, its ", Junior looked back down at the penguin, elaborating. " its, unconventional. But in a good way. When you think of stuffed toys, you think of, elehpants, or teddy bears, or maybe giraffes. But, a _penguin_ ? That's thinking out of the box. "

" And that's what 5-0 does, don't we ? "

" _That's_ true. " , Steve confirmed, nodding firmly.

" Speaking of thinking ", Danno laced his fingers through each other, also leaning forward. " Wonder _why_ I choose, out of _all_ the animals that God created, an Emperor Penguin ? Or, just a penguin in general ? "

" Long as its _cute_ ", Tani insisted, still smiling and continuing to fondle the penguin's head. " What else _is_ there ?! "

" As far as you're concerned: Not much, eh ?", Junior reminded her.

" Oh, yes. _Definitely_. "

"Well, _I_ must say: I was curious about that myself, Danno ", commented Steve. " You didn't even deign to tell me back when we got it. ! "

" _Hold_ your thoroughbreds, I was getting to it. ", Danno assured, with a dismissive hand gesture.

Junior leaned back into the couch, propping the penguin up against one arm,draping the other across Tani's shoulders, and raising a brow.

" Well, like she said: don't keep us in suspense. We're _fascinated_ \- especially me"

" Well, its more like ' _mild curiosity_ ' for me ", Tani admitted, patting the penguin's head . " But, I am still listening. And wondering."

" _Alright_ ".

Danno unlaced his fingers, and began his explanation, as his audience directed their attention his way.

" You see, ah, _these_ penguins, these Emperor ones, they live in Antarctica. Bottom of the planet, cold as _sin_ down there, not fit for anything alive except for creatures like them. "

The others nodded, acknowledging he was right.

Danno meshed his fingers through each other again, and continued:

" _Anyway_ , its cold enough there usually, but when winter comes, its, well, its just _otherworldly_. _No_ comparison on Earth- and that's when their young are born. "

"The parents, what do they do ? They form these, these giant huddles, like football jocks. All packed in real tight. Its their bodies, as shields against the cold, for days on end, without a chance to find somewhere to warm up. Its all they've got. Its all their kids got as well- or they all freeze to death. That's something about them, that I had in mind: what they go though, for the sake of their kids. They tough out that cold, so their kids don't. "

He paused, rubbing the palm of one hand over the back of the other.

" That's why I got it for you. Its, what I see in _both_ of you. For _his_ sake ".

He gestured to Tani's midsection.

" Or, hers. Either or. Not that you'd love them any less. "

" Ok. That's about it. "

For a moment-for several moments, actually- nobody said anything.

Steve rubbed his chin between his thumb and forefinger, nodding with understanding as the Jersey Specimen's rationale sank in. _Now_ , he understood it. Now it certainly did _seem_ to be the a good and worthy choice.

Still didn't like being kept out of the loop, but anyway. That was just Danno. _Annoyingly_ , but it would be boring to keep him around otherwise.

Junior looked back at the penguin, and slowly ran his hand along its side, feeling the softness of the fabric , and thinking of how the living version of it would be braced against the savage arctic cold. As a SEAL, he'd dived off the coast of Alaska, and _had_ experienced frigid temperatures, but, for days and days,without end to it ?

 _God_

 _That_ was dedication.

That was steadfastness.

Tani's eyes were wide, and she was staring at Danno.

Her child wasn't even born yet, and already, Danno was expressing confidence and surety of her ability to be a good mother, and how much she cared for child of hers. He didn't need to say it in so many- or any- words; by this gift, and explaining why, he's said exactly that, and every word of it was utterly sincere. It wasn't his usual sarcasm. He was telling her straight.

For a pregnant woman, nothing gets to her like this, and Tani wasn't an exception.

" Danno ", She put a hand on her belly, and squeezed Junior's with her other.

" I don't remember you ever saying anything that's nearly gotten my crying ", she stated, with complete sincerity.

The Jersey specimen held his hands apart, and smiled.

" Hey, those aren't tears of sadness, so I'll take it. You are quite welcome. "

" Not bad, grouch ! " Steve cackled.

Tani nodded, feeling a pleasant flutter beneath her palm.

 _A flutter- wait !_

 _Not just a-_

She gasped.

" Tani ?! "

Thinking something was wrong, a concerned Junior quickly glanced at her.

Steve and Danno, as well, leaned forward, immediately ready to step in.

" Are you alright ? !"

She was silent for another half second or so, not responding.

" Was it something I said ? ", Danno whispered.

" Quiet, you . ", Steve ordered.

Then:

" Junes ! I felt a _kick_ . He kicked me ! "

Tani's voice was trembling.

" He- did ?! He really did ? ", Junior exclaimed, tenatively putting a hand toward where hers rested.

" Oh, you'd better believe it. Here: "

Tani grabbed his wrist, and placed his hand on her belly.

" How about, now !?

Junior bit his lower lip, doing his best to stay relaxed so could concentrate.

Then:

" Oh, God. Yes, yes I _do_ feel it ! "

He was smiling harder now, slowing moving his palm back and froth.

" There's someone home, all right ! "

Tani lifted a hand, dabbing at the wetness a the corners of her eyes.

But, as with the trickle of tears in the corners of her eyes, Junior saw at once that the tremble was coming from joy. She was smiling again, and it was a perfect match to how she had spoken.

She was in a truly wonderful mood.

And hers was infectious, to him.

This was another milestone moment. This was a hint of life from the one she was carrying.

Theirs.

" _Hold the phone_ ! "

Jaw agape, Steve pointed to them.

" You, you said ' he ' ! You're- you're having a boy ?! A, a _son_ ?!"

" I- believe that is what they said, yes. ! ".

Even the ever-unflappable Danno was caught in the excitement of the moment.

" Yep ! We heard her right ! "

" Seems you really _are_ uncle Steve now, eh ?! ", he tossed in, and laughed out loud.

For _once,_ Steve had utterly nothing for a response.

" A boy- ?! "

A grin began to expand across his mouth.

A wide, _profoundly_ delighted grin. Danno was right. He really was that now, for certain. He felt a strange, but oddly soothing, spark of a new anticipation for the future

" _Congratulations_ ! ", he told them. " This has crowned my day. Actually, the whole year ! "

Junior hugged Tani closer to him.

" It was her idea. ", he admitted, shrugging. " She _wanted_ to know. "

" For _exactly_ this ! ", Tani exclaimed.

" And, here we are ! "

She kissed the side of _his_ face now, as Junior kept her against him.

Steve and Danno watched, feeling the mood in the room, and recalling they hadn't ever been this proud if their former rookies.

Because, they knew now:

There was a future man to be born and raised.


	4. Venue

Generally speaking, pregnant women spend more of their days at home, or at least, off their feet, than at work.

After all, the further along they got into their gestation, the more energy it sapped out of them- and considering that they were living for two, it wasn't all that surprising. All the rest they were able to get, all the food they consumed, was now not only for them, but the second life ( or lives, if they were carrying twins ) that were linked and connected to theirs, in more ways than one.

All combined, that took a toll on them- or at least, on how easy/ hard it was for them to carry out their jobs. Every day, they had to live with it, and every day it drained a little more from them. While they did do what they could to fight it- keeping up their intake of nutrients, particularly the vital ones, and resting a full night- more often than not, they still just didn't have the energy for getting through the day as they used to. It seemed that for every day that went by where they did have enough energy, there was _at least_ 2 where they didn't.

Technically, that was trivially small price to pay for bringing _new life_ into the world, but as with all good things, that didn't mean there wasn't a side of it that was hard to put up with. If it wasn't the outright tiredness they had to deal with, it was the fatigue. Or, on some days, both.

If it wasn't outright tiredness that they had to deal with, then it was the lethargy and fatigue. Occasionally, it was both.

Right now, Tani Rey was finding that out the hard way- it _was_ both.

And at the office to boot. Not exactly the best place to feel like you wanted to crash.

Coming in to it today, though, had _seemed_ to be a viable choice, though, at least a few scant hours ago. After waking this morning ( at an actually reasonable hour of 7am, as opposed to some who stay up till _2am_ ), she'd actually felt fairly well rested, as if she'd actually slept, not just rested her eyes for a few hours. Even the dreaded morning sickness didn't hound her.

Feeling certainly up for a day on the job, Tani had decided to go in. Junior, of course, had objected. He'd pointed out that just because she felt fine _now_ , that didn't mean it would last long enough for the whole day. Those " exhaustion snaps " could hit without warning, and when they did, they always hit hard.

He'd done what he could to convince her to begin her maternity leave, insisting and assuring that, needless to say, nobody would hold it against her. It was a logical argument, but Tani was nothing if not stubborn, and a and more than a bit headstrong. She'd been quite adamant about not staying home, and ultimately, she'd gotten her way.

Now, though, she was beginning to think Junior had a point.

" _Aghh_. I feel like a bag of wet sand. "

Forearms braced on the edge of her desk, Tani let her head hang, slowly rubbing her face with both palms, as if to suppress the weariness that had a tight grip on her. It was a heavy, leaden feeling, that seemed to just wrap around her and weigh her down.

To be honest, having her feeling like she wanted to just closer her eyes right now, and catch some zzzs, despite being aware that it wouldn't do much for her. She needed more sleep than just dozing off for an hour and a half- which was the most you could really get out of an office chair- could provide, that much was obvious.

It was just tempting, though. That was the real danger with being this sleepy- you felt like you could, and should, just sleep. Exactly where you were, for as long as you wanted to.

 _So_ tempting. It was, but-

' _No, no. Stay focused. You can sleep all like, at_ home _'_

With one last rub of her sleep-longing eyes, Tani resolved to stay awake. She straightened up, easing herself upright, back against the did her best not to look down at the rounded, curvature of her midsection- several months pregnant had done that to her. It felt huge, at least to her- but even now, nobody seemed to be noticing it.

Perhaps they were being polite. All the men seemed to have at least some decorum. Some.

 _'Right '_

 _"_ At least I can stay busy ", Tani exhaled, focusing on her Windows 10 computer monitor. Compiling case reports for the Governor was a regular task, even for a captain. Tedious, but it couldn't be raids, car chases, and basically McGarretting all day, these days.

Besides, not that she was optimal shape for those kinds of things anymore. A smile- or, perhaps a smirk- tugged at one corner of her mouth, remembering the glory days. At the very least, it was so much more exciting than, say, living in the mountains. Or being a lifeguard.

 _Just a few more months. Months aren't that long- only 30 days. Each._

Abruptly, the sound of knuckles hitting glass caught her attention, carving right through the exhaustion. Someone was knocking, insistently.

 _What ?_

Glancing up from the walls of onscreen writing, she found none other than one Jerry Ortega standing there. The large boned, bearded man waved, then pointing at himself, then at her.

 _Like you had to ask, Jerry_

Nodding, Tani beckoned him to enter.

Jerry proceeded to do so, walking inside with his usual casual, lumbering gait. As he closed the door behind him, Tani noticed he was holding an ipad in one hand.

" _Captain, ma'am_ !". Jerry stood to attention, and even rendered a salute- a fairly good one, to boot.

Tani couldn't help but chuckle, shaking her head. That was the unique thing about Jerry; you couldn't tell if he was serious about certain things he did and said, or if he wanted for you to laugh. He's gotten some real confidence in him after being formally granted a badge, as everyone had told her, but some traits of his stayed the same. Perhaps this was a bit of both.

" At _ease_ , Mr Ortega ", Tani instructed, hiding a bemused smirk.

" What brings you here ? "

Jerry, by way of response, held up the Ipad.

" _Ok,_ so. I know you're getting married, at some point in the near future- hopefully. "

" Why ? You suspect I'd keep putting it off ? "

Tani's question wasn't intended to be serious, but Jerry seemed to take it as such. He blinked, then quickly shook his head.

" Um, well- that's-not that I- "

His stammering halted as something dawned on him.

" Ah, _right_. Messing with me. Should've gotten that sooner. "

" _Obviously_ ", chided Tani. " Come on. You don't have to be afraid of me. That's Steve's job. "

" Come _on_ , though. Out with it. "

" Oh. Right, right. "

Jerry glanced back down at the ipad, deftly tapping its screen.

" Alright. _So_ , as I was saying: as you're getting married, that means, you need a venue. "

" Jerry . "

" Yes ? "

" We're on the island of Oahu. _Everywhere_ is a potential venue. "

Nodding in agreement, Jerry nonetheless continued.

" Well, yes, but that's the thing. Its _because_ we're already living in a tropical, postcard resort, that I had this great idea. "

He now turned the pad around, showing what was on it: The Cascade Mountain Range, of the stretch that ran through Washington State.

It, more specifically, showed a line of of the 14,000 peaks ( no twins ), with their sides covered in vibrant carpets of evergreen pines. At the base of them, a narrow ribbon of blue stood out, as a river wound its way past them. Overhead, the skies were home to clusters of billowy clouds, and wisps of more of them.

There were no visible signs of human settlement, only the untouched expanse of the mountains themselves. It was, admittedly, rather calm looking. If you didn't know any better, you might think that this was a scene of an Earth unsettled at all by humanity.

Still, calm wasn't always best. It could be for some, but for others-

" Look at _that_ ", Jerry beamed. " Isn't it a perfect spot to tie the knot ? "

" Also, I love a good rhyme. Like that one. Couldn't help myself. "

 _Typical Jerry_.

Without him, the office would lose a component of why it was such a uniquely fun place to be in, day in and day out. If there was another precinct as enjoyable as this to be stationed at, none of them had heard of it. More importantly, none of them wanted it. They were Steve McGarrett's own.

" Well, Jerry, that is very thoughtful of you . I appreciate how much attention you gave to this ", Tani assured him. " And yes-that was a slick rhyme. "

" I know right ?! Proud of that one, I am. Not to boast, but anyway. "

" So, mountains. How about them ? "

Bracing her chin on both sets of fingertips, Tani's expression became thoughtful for a moment or so. It was really just theatrics- they both knew it- but it didn't hurt.

" Hmm "

She deliberated for a second-ish longer, then-

" I am more of a city kid, Jerry, actually. Mountains are a bit too , tranquil. And they tend to be cold. ", she gently stated.

 _I wouldn't know what to do without the high rises visible in the distance. Mountains ? Just too many trees out there._

" Oh ". Jerry wasn't exactly disappointed, but something close to it still registered as he spoke. It was amusingly boyish, Tani decided.

" Not that I wouldn't want to go there, _ever_ ", Putting a hand up, Tani was quick to assure him of that. " But, for my wedding, I'd rather stay somewhere a bit more, _lively_ and _bustling_. And warm. "

Listening, Jerry nodded as she explained, and she finished, he shurgged, seemingly accepting her verdict.

" Well, you could've been a lot harsher about it. So, thanks for that. "

" Aww, I know you have sensitive feelings, Jerry. I wouldn't want to hurt them. "

" You just did. ", Jerry deadpanned.

The blatant, lowkey sarcasm could only lead to an outburst of laughter from both of them, and it did.

" Don't ever change, Jerry ", Tani insisted, still chuckling. " Don't ever change. "

" Have no fear of that, Captain, ma'am ". Jerry saluted, grinning openly.

" This Task Force is stuck with me. "

* * *

Holding up his thumbs and index fingers in a " picture frame " style, Junior Reigns studied the scene before him.

" Hmm ".

Said scene before him, was none other than Steve McGarrett's backyard. The one where the Pacific Ocean's endlessly lapping waves washed up onto. A few yards back from the water's edge , a line of palm trees provided both shade, and a nice backdrop.

A few beach chairs sat there as well, on the tan sand.

Overall, it was a magnificent beach. It was just the right size; not so expansive that it felt public, but not so small that it felt cramped, and boxed. It was pretty much what you'd expect from a personal beach, except a bit better.

More than a bit, actually.

It wasn't as if this was his first time here, of course. Far from it. Once, for example, he'd helped McGarrett bury a sizable amount of cash in this exact yard- a tedious, sweat inducing task that had been completely undone when that mutt, Eddie, had dug it all up ( cats don't do that, by the way ).

Still, now, he was here for a rather different reason altogether.

" Hm "

The SEAL nodded, lowering his hands as he finished his observations. How long they had taken, exactly, he wasn't sure. Not that it mattered to him; he wasn't in a rush. He'd made time for this.

' This ' being , the place where he wanted his wedding to be. Here, in the backyard of his mentor, Steve McGarrett.

When it came to choosing your venue for your marriage, it had to have, significance. Meaning. And, for him and Tani, if there was one place that certainly was significant for them, it was the home of the Great Garrett himself. It was easy to grasp why; He'd recruited Tani, and as for Junior, he'd come running to offer his abilities and skills to the Task Force lead by Steve, because of who Steve was, and how he led the team.

This was definitely fitting. Junior was sure of it.

" Should I get you a surveyor's kit, kid ? "

 _Speaking of the Great Garrett_

The greying haired man himself appeared the patio doors, as Junior turned around to acknowledge his arrival.

Steve headed his way, a mug of chilled coffee in one hand. A smile formed on his weathered face.

" When you said you wanted to come by after we finished our lecture at the HPD academy, I didn't think you were thinking of turning landscaper. " he went on, smirking bemusedly.

Shrugging, Junior didn't bother denying any of it. They both knew he wasn't much of a truth bender, at least not to Steve. Besides, there was no harm in admitting it.

" Got me ", Junior conceded, hooking his thumbs into his pockets. " Just got a tad carried away, sizing everything up in my mind's eye. "

Steve nodded, agreeing. " I get it. Best things in life begin up here ". He tapped the side of his head.

He was right again, of course.

Stopping in front of Junior, Steve leaned to one side, getting a better look at the beach beyond.

" You know you didn't have to ask, right ? I'd have given you this whole place for to use if you just said you needed it for this. "

" I know, but, still, I had to. "

Some habits die hard, and others don't at all. Junior still saw Steve as his superior, and the true spirit of the 5-0 Task Force , even after he would step back from it fully, and finally retire. Not that he seemed or looked ready to do so just yet, however. He'd lasted all these years, even after hitting his 40's. Many men didn't remain combat ready at such an age, but Steve was not most men. Most men could be more like _him._

Junior would always hold that to be true.

It was the age old strength of the military brotherhood and chain of command. It was one of those things that was too strong to break.

While some of them were bad, this was the furthest from that. If

" Of course you did ", Steve chuckled, taking a sip.

" But, really: I am behind both of you. It is an honor you've chosen my home-

Steve pointed at himself.

" For this. Its more flattering than any medal or commendation I have ever been granted. Brings tears to my eyes a bit, it does. "

Junior raised an eyebrow.

" Doesn't that mean you're getting _old_ old ? , sir ? "

Steve raised a brow back. " Is that what it means ? "

He pointed to his low cut hair.

" Its not completely grey. Till, I am a spring chicken. "

" Oh, if you say so. "

" I am saying so. "

Steve took another sip, as if that ended the exchange.

" Oh, sure ". Junior nodded.

Steve grunted.

" _Boys_ ! "

A distinctly familiar female voice sounded from behind them, immediately getting their attention.

Catherine McGarrett.

Turning their heads, the men found the beautiful, dark haired woman casually walking toward them, her long dark locks swaying gracefully. She'd aged well, still carrying a fair amount of good looks, with nary a grey hair to be seen.

And she wasn't alone.

" Our boys, you mean ", Tani reminded her, as she did an admirable job of keeping pace with Catherine, several months pregnant notwithstanding. Like Catherine, her own long dark hair moved back and forth in time with her steps.

Between them, they didn't fail to put smiles on the face of Steve and Junior. There was- is- something about brunettes that appeals to all men.

" Cath ! ", Steve exclaimed, smiling, holding his arms out." You brought a guest. "

" She showed up just about a minute ago. ", Catherine explained. " Also told me she called ahead, but someone wasn't answering their phone."

Her emphasis on 'someone ', and the way gaze flicked between them, said everything it needed to.

Tani crossed her arms. " Yeah, they know _exactly_ what you mean. "

The SEALs did, and quickly glanced at each other, their eyes quite easily saying " How did you let this happen ? "

" Um- well- "

" I- left mine off ", Junior confessed. " My bad. "

" Again ?! ", Tani huffed. " I thought I reminded you to always keep it on. "

" Well, I do ", Catherine ( un ) helpfully declared. " This girl here wanted to talk to _you_. Don't blame her not calling anyone else-."

Steve cackled, finding all of this quite amusing.

" Well, yes, ", Junior acknowledged. " But, I didn't want anything to distract me. There was something important I had to do here. "

In a display of the bro code, Steve, despite finding all of this quite funny, stepped to Junior's defense.

" Oh, I _can_ attest to that ", chimed in the older SEAL. " Trust me. "

" _I_ do ", Catherine repeated. " _He_ still had to explain himself. ", she added, tipping her head at Junior.

" Which I _can_. ", Junior assured.

Tani pointedly cleared her throat.

Taking the cue, Junior stated " I was planning, to have our wedding here. I mean- where we have it _matters_. "

" Right in this yard. When we decide its right, of course. Maybe its a bit early, but, I don't think so. I think I want to be sure of this, now rather than later."

Tani's eyes widened at that- partially out of surprise- which everyone could easily see on her- but with something else as well

Realization.

" Wait a second; Are- you saying you were looking up venues too ? ", she asked, sounding genuinely amazed.

Junior blinked.

" _You_ were ? . I- well, I hate answering questions with questions, but- _you_ were ? ", he asked.

" Venues, eh ? ", Catherine smirked.

" You _didn't_ know ? ", Steve nonchalantly took another sip.

The former Navy Intel officer shook her head, brows raised.

Meanwhile, the youngers weren't done yet. Tani had opted close the distance between her and Junior, until she stood right in front of him. She reached out, and took his hands with both of hers.

She smiled. " Was this supposed to be a surprise ? "

Junior didn't answer for a moment, then shrugged and grinned.

" You _could_ say that. I _would've_ told you. "

" Does, this mean you like it, though ?

" I am not thinking completely clearly that much nowadays. Plus, I've always been rather impatient so- "

Tani highlighted her reminder, by gently pulling Junior closer to her, and kissing him.

"- ok. Tell me what you're thinking. "

" Gladly ", the younger SEAL replied eagerly replied.

Off to the side, Steve and Catherine realized they were essentially 5th wheeling.

" We should go ", Steve murmured to Catherine.

" We should ? "

By way of response , Steve took her arm, and began to gently-but firmly- pull her away.

" _Steve_ ! " Catherine protested.

" Shhh ! ", Steve insisted, as he towed her back inside. He knew better than to let him or Catherine be spectators.

Some moments were best enjoyed, by only a select few.


	5. Looking backwards and forwards

McGarrett house.

6:30am ( A reasonable hour ).

* * *

" What is _that_ ?! "

With the dust-dry sarcasm that only a New Jersey native was capable of, Danno watched, and commented, on the teaspoon sized dollop of Irish grass fed butter Steve had just dropped into the contents of his piping hot ceramic mug.

" What- _why_ are you engaging in that coffee butchering _again_ ?! ", the east coast crustacean exclaimed, gesturing at the steam-emanating mug that was now only _partially_ Ethiopian black ( until just _now_ ) coffee.

" _This_ is how you take your coffee ! ", he went on, vigorously indicating his own heated cup of joe. " You prep the coffee, add some milk, and that's it ! Don't go " editing " with weird stuff that you're just cramming in for the fun of it. "

Gently stirring his drink, Steve rolled his eyes, silently grateful that he had at least 7 years worth of experience of dealing with the dense-shelled land crab that had been named Daniel Williams. Otherwise, he might've gone off the deep end from being on the receiving end of it for as long as he had.

Still, even _with_ that experience, there were moments where he just had to speak up, and put Danno in his place. Otherwise, of course, he wouldn't get any real rest from all the overwhelming Williams positivity, and he wasn't about to let that disrupt what was otherwise a calm and relaxing beginning to the day.

" Dan, I think your mind is slipping- "

" Hey ! I _already_ told you: _Don't_ call me ' Dan '. Ok ? Do. _Not_. "

" _Dan_. "

As the New Jerseyan glared daggers at him ( which he was fairly used to by now ), Steve patiently began explaining- _again_ \- why bullet coffee was part of his diet.

Said explanation was frustratingly Jennifer-esque in its simplicity: " Danno, I still drink this because it helps keeps my mind sharp, and I still need it that way, these days more than ever. _Yours_ mind is slipping if you're forgetting again. Its not too late to get in on the fine tradtition of bullet coffee yourself. "

Steve was careful to insert a healthy dose of condescension in his tone, for no other reason than he knew it would get Danno all riled up. He'd become as much of a curmudgeon these days as he had mellowed, and as long you knew the right buttons to push, you could put him in either mood without much effort. The tricky thing was, of course, was to know exactly what those buttons were.

Steve was one of those few. He'd just proved it now, if Danno's following reaction was anything to go by.

" Steve I _really_ ought to just choke you out, SEAL style, but _fatally._ I suspect, though, that you, the stubborn _gorilla_ that you are, you'd be reincarnated, or something like that, and be back to torment me all over again . "

Danno finished his bemoaning, shaking his head and exhaling with resignation. A few years ago, Steve might've actually taken that to mean that the crustacean was upset.

Nowadays, though, Steve knew better. Danno was still the same person he'd been back in that garage when they'd nearly killed each other, all those years ago.

Some things were a constant.

" Sunny as ever, Danno. "

" Stop. I might cry " Danno looked down into his own drink, as if actually pensive for a moment, then exhaled and took a sip.

" So, _please_ tell me that we got case that you didn't bother to tell me about ? Because I need something to do. "

Steve raised an eyebrow, and inexplicably, did do something to hide the inadvertently amused smirk that was threatening to cross his face.

Which lasted all of about 2.5 seconds, before he gave up, and cackled out loud- head back, shoulder shaking cackling.

" Ahahahaha ! "

Danno stared flatly. There had been _statues_ with more emotions than he was displaying right now.

" I'd say I was sorry, Danno, but, that'd be a lie. Man, and I thought you were just your usual cheery self."

" You can't even be bothered to outright say you don't care :, Danno grunted, " You have to torment me with pretending ".

Steve was silent for a moment, in a contemplative way, before nonchalantly replying.

" That's accurate, I'd say. "

" Kill me. "

" I _would_ , but, I need the most senior of my lackeys alive and intact- that's you, of course ".

Danno took the high road to that piece of McGarrett jerk-ness by taking another sip.

" You're not, _upset_ , are you ? "

Peering at Steve over the rim of his mug, Danno slowly lowered it.

" Upset ? Why- why would I be upset ? "

" Well, I just called you a _lackey_. That did nothing for you ?"

Danno shrugged.

" For _once_ , no, actually. It _would've_ , when I was younger and angrier, but with age comes wisdom. For me, at least. And learning how to deal with slow burn irritants, like you. "

Steve scoffed, shaking his head. Danno was truly an utterly bizarre mix of infuriating snark, and actual sensibility. Or perhaps he'd always been, and just not bothered to show it.

" You're in a league of your own, Danno. "

" I know. And I am proud of it. "

* * *

10 minutes later, Danno's and Steve's respective moods hadn't changed much.

Today was a continuation of the relatively slow week of violent crimes across the island; not even any reports of cartel weapon smugglers. With a bit more free hours than usual on their hands ( which was in addition to their ability to _always_ have extra time, no matter how crazy busy/ hectic things were ), the frequently quarrelsome duo was on their way to get some shrimp a Kamekhona's original food truck before heading to the office.

Nothing special, of course. After all, the ex-convict's humble shrimp food truck business had expanded exponentially over all these years, and he now ran several actual _resorts_ on the island now, all with his name to them. Each had several high end ( no lower than 3 star, of course ) restaurants on their grounds. Any one of them offered top shelf seafood dining, with fish caught right off the coast.

He'd put himself on the map, that was for sure. Still, even so, he wasn't forgetting his ( by now ) humble origins, and how that one food truck had been where everything he had now had begun. To that end, he occasionally would be there in person, to personally oversee, and even serve, the shrimp fare that thousands of customers had bought from him.

As some of his longest returning patrons, Danno and Steve

Not entirely, though.

" _Agggh_ , no. No, its actually _true_. Well, that leaves me broken hearted. "

' _Ah, there it is. His good moods last about as long as a child's attention span_ "

" Should I even ask ? ", Steve drummed his fingers atop the steering wheel, maneuvering the current year Camero ( as opposed to a 1970's relic ) through the streets of such a fine Honolulu summer morning.

" Or, better question: Do you _want_ to answer ? Because if I keep secrets from you, as you _claim_ I do, then its only fair, right ? Quid pro quo, or however you're supposed to say it."

Steve's straightforward , clear-cut logic was perfectly sensible-wasn't it ? After all, simple logic was always hardest to argue against, except for the king of sarcasm himself: His highness Danno Williams.

At least, it should be. Then again, this was _Danno_. There was _no_ limit to what he could, and would, complain about.

" You'll find out anyway. You're nosy that way. "

" _Tsch_. Would I ? "

" _Yes !_ You really would. "

" No, No. I respect your privacy. "

" Of course you do. Until its not _convenient_ for you. "

" Not true, Danno. I am respectful of my team ! Always. "

" Oh,really ? Well, let's test that, ok ? ", Danno taunted.

" Bring it ! ", Steve dared.

Exhaling, shaking his slicked haired head, Danno did so:

" My son, actually. You know Charlie's aiming to be a cop, right ? "

Steve nodded. He was well aware of how Charlie Williams had entered his application to the HPD academy. The younger Williams had planned to follow in his old man's footsteps for years now, ever since he was a teenager. Danno, true to form, had talked at length with him about changing his mind, and following a career that was " more conducive to one's life's longevity ".

Oddly ( and by oddly, that refers to subtle influence and encouragement from Steve, who had told Charlie " Your dad's one of the bravest men I've known )

' _Strange how parents always want their kids to not follow them into their careers. My own dad didn't. Yet here I am. Wonder what he'd have to say about that_ '

Aloud, though, Steve hummed slightly, and nodded.

" I was aware of that, yes. "

" _Well_ ", Danno slowly continued. " be that as it may, what you might _not_ know, is that they have now, fianlly replied to his little request to join their ranks. "

Steve quickly glanced over at him, brow raised questioningly.

" They said yes. "

" Did they ? That's wonderful ! Now ouw own Charlie Williams is set to join the illustrious career of law enforcement ! That's commendable ! "

Danno huffed, pinching the bridge of his nose . " Not. The point. _Steven_. "

" I _warned_ you about calling me that, Dan ! I warned you. "

" You missed the point so badly, that you _deserved_ it ! "

" Did not !

" Did so !

" Didn't ! "

" I call baloney on that "

" Man, that is such a _Jersey_ thing to say. "

Their bickering nearly resulted in Steve colliding with an especially hideous, sky blue Corolla ( which would've been a bonus for the neighborhood, getting rid of such an absurd car ). He grunted something colorful, adjusting course with a sharp tug of the wheel and a thump on the horn, directed at the clodbrain who thought driving a Corolla was a good idea.

" Blast ", Steve shook his head. " Allright, Danno. What's so wrong about your kid wanting to be a selfless hero ? "

" What you were going to say is ' The selfless hero is me ' ", Danno stated.

" _Maybe. Possibly_. Anyway, don't change the subject, Danno. Out with it. "

Danno muttered something especially impolite, but did as Steve said anyway:

" My point is, nothing has reminded me that my little boy, my little Charlie isn't an innocent child anymore. He's well, a man now. He's joining the HPD, for God's sake ! Not what a kid does. "

Danno slumped a bit in as he finished speaking, letting his right hand prop up his head, and exhaling again.

" _Where_ did all the years go ? I miss the days when my kid was actually a kid. "

This was a golden opportunity for Steve to take advantage, and they both knew it. Mostly this had exactly happened, and more than once in the past. Danno was good at setting up the pins., and Steve was good at knocking them down.

But for now-

 _' Well, its his kid , not him, really, that we're talking about. I suppose , for that, I can give him a little leeway. But only a little.'_

 _' Can't let him forget who's boss._ '

" You're right. He's not. "

Danno's brows shot up, and he turned his head to stare at Steve with a somewhat put-out expression.

" If that was supposed to help my mood- "

" Let me _finish_ , dang it. "

Danno grunted. " _Fine_. Go on. How this will help, I can't fathom."

" _As I was saying_ ", Steve emphasized.

" You're right. Charlie's _not_ a child anymore. He's a man now, and who raised him to be that ? _You_. You did, Danno. You did everything that ant father who's worth his alt should've done. You're _still_ an annoying crab too, but did well with your boy. "

" Which he _still_ _is_ , by the way. Charlie's _still_ your son, grown up though he is. Don't tell me you don't still love your son to heaven and back. Like you always have. Why you can't be nicer to everyone else, I can't understand, but at least you're a good dad. "

His uplifting speech over, Steve slipped back into silence, satisfied that he'd gotten his point across. He was confident would get it.

Which he did.

The New Jersey man didn't respond for a moment or so, silently processing Steve's words. Finally, he did speak:

" When did you stop being an neanderthal, and begin being an actual _decent_ person ? "

" Wait, no. You're still a neanderthal, but, you're the smartest, or least the nicest, one that's ever lived. "

Left handed praise was basically the only kind Danno would give Steve. That didn't mean they were any less real, though, and the McGarrett man smirked, understanding.

" So you're admitting I helped out, eh ? That I _can_ be supportive ? That's some real development, Danno. Color me impressed."

Danno must've realized that answering ' yes ' , or anything affirmative, would only increase Steve's ego, and that alone would be enough for him to deny anything about Steve being right. For the egotistical, like Steve, you couldn't give them an inch, or they'd take that inch, and ran utterly amok with it.

He had before. He could again. Actually, he _should_ do that again, right now.

But, not now.

 _' Might as well. Its really about my kids, not me. God knows Steve's been around them long enough so that they respect him. He's already corrupted Charlie, but at least he corrupted him into doing something objectively good.'_

" Yes. _Fine. Ok._ You did help. I don't have any gold stars, though. Or lollipops, or gummy bears. "

" That's ok ", Steve assured him.

" I am not in the habit of taking candy from trolls. "

" Thought you said I was a crab. "

" Oh, trust me: You still are. "

* * *

Some indeterminate time later, they reached the iconic shrimp truck.

It reminded Steve and Danno of a mountain. It was something that'd been where it'd been for so long, nobody could remember a day where it hadn't been there. Day in and day out, there it was: on the beach, steadily providing delectable seafood to the locals of Honolulu- and it'd even lowered its highway robbery prices, for a welcome change. Once upon a time, said former high prices had caused a bit of a riot when a heat wave had blasted the entire island, leading hordes of locals to descend on the truck in desperate search of ice cold drinks and frigid drinks. Kamekhona had cranked up the prices for everything he was selling, to the eventual point where the locals had turned hostile, and practically _dismantled_ the truck piece by piece.

Well, at least he'd learned from _that_ formative experience. As in, he'd only beefed up the prices only enough, so that nobody would notice until _after_ they'd bought it. Very clever.

And, he'd expanded the seating. Now, there were tables and benches _behind_ the truck, closer to the ocean, and not just in front of it. It was a signal of how much a major local fixture the place had become, and that it as much a place to relax, shoot the breeze, and basically have the Starbucks experience, except outside, and with more seafood, rather than coffee and ignorant millennials .

In other words: it was home sweet home.

" So, as I was saying, my brother ", Steve remarked, exiting his side of the car after they'd parked. " You have nothing to worry about. Charlie'll be ok. "

" Actually, its _Grace_ I am worried about ", Danno replied, also stepping out of the Camero. " You're going to find a way to persuade _her_ to be a cop too. Then _both_ of my kids will be in harm's way, thanks to you. "

Steve grinned, fighting back a laugh.

" Don't give me ideas, Danny ".

The Williams man shook his head with sad resignation, as they left the car behind and headed toward the truck.

It was a relatively slow day even here, though. Of course, for a" happening " place like Kamekona's, even a " slow " day still had brought out a dozen or so patrons, scattered about alone or in small groups at various tables.

They were generally in a good mood: chatting, laughing, and conversing in the relaxed, casual way folks were when they weren't in a hurry, and when they'd learned to ensure they had time to spend. If someone wanted to get at least some R and R for about an hour, this was one place they were likely to be. It attracted all kinds of locals.

Including-

" Hey, is that - ", Danno squinted, slowly raising a hand to point at a table off to their right.

" Hm ? What ? ", Steve glanced up, from checking his Galaxy Note for email updates.

" Over there ! Is that- yeah, it is ! That's Tani and Junior ! Oh, hey ! Akela _'s_ there too ! "

" What ? _Really_ ?! Duke's Grandaughter's here ? "

Putting his phone away, Steve turned his attention to where Danno had indicated.

" Well, how about that. "

Sure enough, there they were. Sitting at a table with a good view of the Pacific, were the two former rookies, sitting side by side ( as they'd tended to do for most of their shared history ), with a girl who seemed to be in her mid to late teens across from them. Several basket of curly fries, and one of jumbo sized shrimp, accompanied by several small trays of sauces, were arranged haphazardly around.

They seemed to be enjoying themselves as well. Junior and Tani were clearly in the middle of telling some kind of story, gesturing with both hands , while Akela looked on with an attentive expression. All 3 of them kept smiling, and occasionally chuckling out loud. Judging from all that, it appeared they were discussing the day where they'd saved the granddaughter of HPD Sergeant Duke from a gang of kidnappers, and how Junior had scored a flawless headshot on one of them, while Tani had carried the child out of harm's way.

 _Yep. Definitely that._

From this distance, it seemed to Danno and Steve that their once-rookies really were all grown up. They could get through life on the Task Force well without the aging originals. They'd left their shells way behind by now.

 _Suddenly, I really do feel old._

 _Ah well, I've had a good run. Think Danno would say the same. If ever said anything nice to me that often, which he doesn't._

 _Jerk._

He glanced over at the other man anyway though, out of curiosity. Sure enough, the Williams had a wistful expression on his face.

" Its a bad habit to, you know, get caught up in nostalgia too often, isn't it ? "

Steve shrugged. In all likelihood, it was, but that wasn't about to stop either of them. As much as they were living in the present, and thinking about the future, the past they'd been through couldn't be easily forgotten- or, rather, be forgotten at all. They couldn't realistically expect that to leave them alone.

That wasn't so bad, though. They'd had a good run on this island.

" If it is, Danno, then we're both screwed. "

Danno actually smiled with amusement at that. It was _technically_ more of a less snarky smirk, but from Danno, that was close enough.

"Probably, yeah ", he agreed.

* * *

Kamekona Tupola.

He was as unchanged as his truck.

Well, aside from his notable more lined face, and graying goatee. The top of his that bald head of his was tanned thoroughly from years of Pacific sunrays beating down on it.

Other than that, through he was same as ever: always relaxed, not ever hurried, and always on the lookout for opportunities to improve his revenue- in a civil, gentlemanly way, of course.

At any rate, he seemed pleased to have two of his longest returning patrons back again: " Eyyy, the unbeatable duo of Williams and McGarrett ! Back again,eh ? "

" You brought your wallets though, yeah ? "

 _Yep. Same old, same old_.

" What ? No, no, we, ah, we are here for freebies. " Danno informed him, as he and Steve reached the ordering counter. " For all our collective patronage. "

" What he said, " Steve agreed helpfully.

Kamekhona tipped his bald head back, and laughed loudly and heartily. " You still got your sense of humor, Detective ! That's good; I thought you'd be all _bitter_ and _cantankerous_ by now. "

" He is ! ", Steve warned. " All day, every day. "

Danno flicked a hand dismissively at McGarrett.

" _Ignore_ him, Kamekhona. That's how I get by. "

" Allright. We'll take a King's Feast each. With extra sauce. And an extra large fries. And, Steve here is paying for all of it. "

Steve slowly directed a stunned expression toward Danno, who merely grinned and shrugged shamelessly.

' _Twat '_

" Consider yourself fortunate that we're both hungry ", Steve grumbled, fishing out his wallet. " Or maybe lazy to drive any further to find somewhere else. "

" Now, _that_ is Llkely ", cackled Danno.


	6. Waves that Bond

The is a popular saying associated with SEALs: To them, the water is their second home. After all, it was literally in their name, in more ways than one. .

If there was one thing all this deployments to the twin sandboxes of Iraq ( Ir-ock, not I-Rack; its not pronounced that way ) had taught him anything, it was to always appreciate the true origins, and the _long_ training pipeline of the Navy Underwater Demolition teams: the oceans. Out in the deserts of Iraq, of the mountains and valley's of the 'Stan, he hadn't realized how much he'd missed having the Pacific Ocean a stone's throw away. He'd spend day after day, month after month living and training on that island known as Coronado, and during all that time, the ocean, the Pacific, was _always_ right there.

That must've been _one_ of the reasons that'd drawn him to Hawaii, out of everywhere in the United States ( let alone the world ), as soon as his military days had run their course and he'd mustered out. He couldn't contemplate living anywhere that wasn't near the sea, because it easily beat out even being able to visit it from as close by as a few hours away.

It was one of a SEAL's life's simplest joys: Being _in,_ or _on_ , the water. It was a residual effect of all those grueling, body-hammering months spent on Coronado; SEALs were taught that the water was security. Water was your ally.

Water was new realm altogether. If you weren't using to get to and from a mission, or using it to hone your skills for the next, you still wanted to be in or on it.

Junior knew how true that was, _especially_ right now: he _was_ on the water, on the waves of the Pacific.

The most magnificent of the oceans.

 _T_ _he_ largest and deepest one on Earth by a country mile. True, every ocean looked endless when you were looking at its horizon and it seemed to keep going until it vanished altogether ( Not, though, not off the edge of the Earth; our planet is _round_. Its _Round_ .), but the Pacific seemed, different, somehow. It was probably because you already knew from maps how _massive_ it was, so when you were crossing its waves, you were constantly reminded of that, though you couldn't quite ever get your mind around it. The scale was simply too much.

It was called _Pacific_ for a reason, though: it was surprisingly calm, mostly. Aside from the mammoth strength typhoons that were known to ravage their way around it whenever the season for them rolled around, the Pacific was a warm, and serene body of water. On any of the innumerable islands and nations that touched it, there were equally as-innumerable beaches and stretches of coastline where all conditions were perfectly right for taking advantage of it.

Swimming. Diving. Snorkeling. Junior'd done all of them at one point or another. All were great ways to kill time on/ in the water ( especially diving; SEALs as a general rule did enough diving to consume a blimp's worth of oxygen ), and he enjoyed all of them, for certain. Right here and now, though, he was tackling one he had _less_ than optimal experience with.

Stand up paddleboarding.

Jamming the soles of both feet against the smooth fiberglass of his board, Junior tightened his grip around his paddle's grip as he drove the long pole down and through the water. The resistance the blade encountered as it pushed back was felt in both his arms, and he automatically shifted his center of gravity as the board smoothly glided and rode up and over the rolling waves on its way forward. Behind him, a narrow wake was left behind as the board's fins cleaved the sea apart.

Above the water, the air had that powerfully distinct, authentic _ocean_ saltiness to it. There was a firm breeze blowing, buffeting him and roaring with moderate volume in both ears. The ragged line of ash grey clouds that was at some point between the horizon and the coast certainly had something to do with that.

 _Everything's all shipshape out here, I have to say._

Stand-up surfing wasn't _this_ easy for him; actually, it'd been near the _exact_ opposite. Somehow, the whole formula of balance, weight distribution, etc, needed to paddlesurf properly hadn't come easily to him, and he'd paid for it. Junior still remembered how often he'd fallen off his board and wound up in the drink when he'd first begun taking a swing at this. It was nearly as irritating as tumbling off a snowboard, and it'd even been tempting to abandon it altogether- not that he'd ever actually admit that aloud, of course. It would tarnish his image.

He must've gotten _that_ from Danno.

Sure, the old(er) Jersey man was a good person at heart, and had his own brand of wisdom that stood out from Steve's more aggressive, " get things done any way required " mentality. Still, on the other hand, he was also a stubborn one who wouldn't admit to anything. Ever.

 _He_ actually might've given in on getting good at this sport. Junior might've too, except for-

" Seems all those lessons Tani gave you way back when finally paid off, eh ? "

Steve McGarrett, despite his, well, _advancing_ age, was doing a rather decent job of keeping pace on Junior's right. His own board was actually more or less in formation with Junior's, and he didn't even appear to be breathing too hard. It was a perfect testament to how the superior constitution of SpecOps allowed men to stay in fighting trim well past their 30's.

He'd perceptively voiced _exactly_ what the younger SEAl was thinking.

As usual, or at least fairly often enough, he was spot-on.

" It'd be a _lot_ funnier watching you falling off with all your limbs flailing, like a 5 year old. Or Danno. Still, glad to see you've gotten the hang of it. ", Steve continued, driving his paddle into the Pacific yet again.

Junior smirked, immediately recognizing that Steve was right. It _was_ indeed funny watching someone topple over while getting the hand of a balance sport ( ie, this ), and it was also true that the crustacean named Danno wouldn't take it well . Not that said crustacean would _ever_ admit to that. He'd die first.

 _' Always sunny in Jersey '._

" Seems that way, sir ", Junior agreed.

" _Hey._ What did I tell you about calling me _' sir '_ , when we're off the clock ? ", Steve admonished.

" I respect, well , _your_ respect, but there's no need to be so formal _all_ the time. This is us guys having fun. "

Yes, Steve was, and had always been, _that_ kind of Commander; he expected, and received, respect and compliance from his subordinates at all times, but he still wanted for them to feel at east around him, and to know there were other times when they could be more relaxed, while still acknowledging who was in overall charge. Which was still him.

For now. He wasn't a kid anymore. Neither was Danno. None of the original 5-0 was anymore. Sure, they could still handle themselves out on the field, but that time was in its twilight years by now. Nobody would admit it, but it was true.

" Can't say I can get out of that habit. Sir . ", Junior confided. A slight ocean swell came up, and his board rode up over it automatically. Junior jabbed his paddle, keeping himself stable.

As it turned out, the longtime saying " old habits don't die easily " was true, especially when it came to this. The same could easily be said, of course and annoyingly, for Danno being an insufferable curmudgeon.

" Yeah, I noticed. Its kind of like being back in the fleet again, isn't it ? Or back with the Teams. You can take the sailor out, but you can't take the Navy out of him, eh ? "

" Couldn't agree more. "

" That sounds a _bit_ like brown nosing, to be honest. "

" Well, _somewhat_ , but its the truth. "

" Oh, trust me: I could tell. "

They paddled on in silence for a while, , following a course that ran alongside the length of the beach, before slowly beginning to circle away from it and slightly further out into the Pacific. Out on the horizon, the ragged line of clouds stood clearly against the cyan sky. It was hard to tell for certain, but it did seem they were closing in. They weren't _storm_ clouds, but they had rain in them for certain, if their grayness was anything to go by.

That was Hawaii for you. Too picturesque for its own good, but then again, that _was_ Hawaii. Otherwise, it'd be somewhere a lot less scenic- like Washington state.

It was a good place to live your days. You could easily do a lot worse- mostly by if you want somewhere _cold_. Out here in Hawaii, you got the sense you had time to slow down and relax- or figure out some way to _make_ more time, even if you could only manage an extra hour or so.

" So, I have to ask: How's Catherine doing ? ", Junior finally spoke up. " She's been in the spy game for so long. that, well, it'd be hard to get used to being out of it. You'd know better than I would."

It was a fair question, but anyway, Steve felt a momentary flash of both long buried pain, and a fondness for a certain brunette Navy woman who had indeed been in intel for a long while- and had nearly been consumed by it. Mission after mission, op after op. The CIA had been wall to wall, and they'd hauled her along for it. The worst bit of it, though, was that it wasn't entirely involuntary, either.

Cath had been _willing_ for all of that. Steve couldn't understand it then, and even though it was a moot point now, he still didn't.

 _' Catherine, I nearly lost you, and you nearly lost yourself. You gave back to this nation enough already.'_

' _Not anymore. '_

Pulling his paddle blade through the water again, Steve thought and reflected for a moment or so. Things between him and Cath were the best they'd ever been from when she'd left the CIA behind, without question. The Agency had finally been sidelined by Cath compared to Steve in her life, and her life on Hawaii was back where it had been. All of which was more than enough reason to be positive, and he was.

He still needed to put the memories of how she'd ditched all of that for the sake _of_ the agency, though. Sure, she'd always cared for him even when a world away, but that wasn't even remotely the same as actually having her here.

" Still doing pretty well, actually. Thank God the agency finally let her go. Or maybe she _finally_ was able to tear herself away from that. Hard to be sure, actually. Most days, its enough for me that she's still here, and seems ok with it. "

" I was going to say something about taking the spy out of the- well, you already know. "

 _' He always was a perceptive kid_ '

" Yes, I'd say so ", Steve confirmed " Though by the way, Danno wouldn't have held back. ".

Junior chuckled. " _That's_ true. "

Steve smirked as well, but it was tinged with bitterness. He hadn't forgotten how much the knowledge that Cath was off doing black ops for the CIA in God-knows-where across the world, while he was back here, in Hawaii, doing what he knew Cath herself also wanted to do: give back to, protect, and serve the people and lawful residents of the United States. The CIA could gallivant around and deal with issues in other countries ( why they couldn't deal with their own problems still wasn't clear ) without Cath.

Hawaii wanted and needed her here.

 _Steve_ wanted and needed her here.

Now that she actually was, Steve had no intention of letting her getting away. He's gotten her back, and he wouldn't let her go.

Not ever again.

* * *

Another 15 minutes later, they were pulling their boards back up onto the well packed sand of the beach, their bare feet sinking into it as they walked. From behind, the gusts of that salt-heavy air were still sweeping over them, roaring in their ears and rustling the fonds of the palm trees. The cloud line that'd been shadowing them all this time was now definitely closer; a rain shower couldn't be more than an hour away.

A fitting moment as ever to call their excursions on the ocean a day. It wasn't a place you wanted to be when the barometer began falling.

" Well, that was fun, boss ", Junior remarked, running a hand over his quasi-fro. " You didn't fall behind, either. "

Steve huffed and rolled his eyes, while hiding a smirk. Yes, he was getting on. That was old news. That was partially why he'd gone out on the waves today; another way to remind himself- and Junior, of course- that he still had it.

His ego was _always_ something worth maintaining and preserving.

 _'Wouldn't be a man otherwise. It matters to us. Like emoting is for women. Heh, heh, Cath would kill me_

 _Hold up. I can't let this upstart get away with this._

" _Hey, hey_ ! I was holding back, for your sake. ", Steve pointed a finger. " Didn't want to humiliate you, kid. "

Raising both brows, Junior pointed to himself with faux indignation. " Kid ? Really ? After all I've done, I thought I'd have earned some respect. "

" _Everyone's_ a kid to me ", Steve declared, as a point of fact. " Including you. "

" But, I _will_ admit you're a lot braver and have more integrity; so many kids don't. "

Now it was Junior's turn to roll eyes. In ways like these, it was a lot like the team days; Guy's talk. Basically, it was near-endless back and forth chops busting, but with a dusting of good intentioned ridicule thrown in.

It was a poignant bit of nostalgia, and a good reminder of another chapter of both their lives. As long as they lived, they would always be proud to a fault of their service on the Teams.

After stacking their boards and paddles, they headed back inside, where Steve's kitchen was, as usual, as neat and tidy as an IKEA showroom. There were few better displays of how true it was that ex-military men are the neatest ones. Its one of their learned behaviors that truly sticks.

( Take note, ladies. ).

The coffeepot was the first order of business, as usual.

Steve prepared it, as always, the Navy way: scalding hot and slightly bitter. Although Steve had beans from around the world- Columbia, Ethiopia, and Java- his favorite variety was closer to home. He had a supply of locally harvested beans ( Hawaii being the only state that grows coffee certainly came in handy ), which he was diligent about keeping topped off.

He did what he could to ration himself on , but today, he decided to dip into it. A full mug of espresso was exactly what was called for after spending any time in/on the water. A nice hot mug of coffee.

Perfect.

With a dose of grass fed, Irish butter, of it confused and disgusted Danno so much was a _massive_ added bonus. Mr Jersey Shore had ditched wearing a tie on the island, but he couldn't get over bullet coffee. It was arguably one of the biggest reasons to drink this, as far as Steve was concerned.

In a handful of well honed minutes, Steve had two mugs of bullet coffee ready for consumption. He vigorously stirred them both, then handed one off to Junior.

" Here you go, kid. "

" I won't forget the first time Danno watched me drinking one of these ", Steve remarked , blowing steam off the top of his mug, and breathing some of it in.

" You'd have laughed at how, _befuddled_ he looked. He asked what was the matter with me; for the umpteenth time, I might add. I told him that bullet coffee helps your mind function better

Taking a sip of his own bullet drink, Junior looked over the edge of the mug with amusement. " He _would_ react that way, wouldn't he. "

" Yup. He would. "

" We seem to verbally beating on him a lot today ", Steve mused. " Can't say he doesn't deserve it, though ".

It was good to have brothers like Junior and Danno. One of them was like him; a SEAL brother who thought a lot like he did, and was basically another version of himself- he even had the same brilliant mind for risk taking, which, of course, Danno would derisively refer to as " madness ", or ' irresponsible ". As if any of it actually was, which it wasn't, of course, but Mr Jersey-Shore Careful was too fond of doing things " by the book " , even on Hawaii.

Then again, it _was_ kind of amusing, having the old crab grumble and protest as much and as often as he did. A smile crossed Steve's face as the memory of when he'd ridden a motorcycle up a flight of stairs to get the drop on a bunch of suspects. Or, when he used a grenade to blow the doors off a pawn shop. The way the New Jersey crab had reacted to them had been the highlight of each day.

Basically, it was Danno exasperatedly and with a lot of annoyance, expressing how much Steve needed therapy. He'd even offered to pay for it himself.

' _Stay the same Danno. Seems you actually have '_

 _' Also, riding that bike up the stairs was the most fun things I have ever done. You're jealous you didn't think of it first '_

Junior set his mug down, and nodded. " No offense, sir- McGarrett, but you lead by example on that. "

" True. Are you blaming me ? "

" Not at all. Its a n honored tradition that you're following. That's what being in the Navy stands for. "

Steve thoughtfully contemplated that for a second, then smirked.

" Well, then. In that case- "

He raised his mug.

" Here's to the grumbling troll who hails from the east coast ".

Junior mirrored the move. " I'll drink to that. "

" _Ahem_ ", Steve held up a finger, before either of them took a sip. " And, and before I forget- and no, my mind is not slipping due to age, do _not_ think otherwise. "

Clearly keeping a smile down, Junior nodded. " Ok, If you insist. "

" You're fooling nobody. _Anyway_ \- "

Steve paused for a moment, as if getting his words arranged, then continued:

" _And_ , here's to you. And Tani. And your imminent arrival. May God bless you all. "

With his piece spoken, Steve threw back a mouthful of the bullet coffee.

" Ah, now _that's_ good stuff. "

Junior was about a second behind; even though he'd anticipated what Steve had said, exactly _how_ he'd said it left its mark. Steve was the kind of man who away spoke his mind, and didn't mince words. You knew you were always getting it straight from him.

There was no talking without saying anything.

Even if you were familiar with it, you were still grateful. So many these days- throughout all of history, actually-talked without actually saying anything.

" Thanks, boss. "

He took a swig himself, and savored the slow, rich burn.

* * *

" Well, well, well. You didn't drown. Seems you did remember what I taught you. "

It was easy to tell that Tani's greeting was only _partially_ sarcastic, which was the beauty of it. Tani had a knack for that kind of thing, and it was something Junior greatly fond of.

One of many things he liked about her, of course.

 _I have quite a few of them, for certain. She's a brunette, to name one at random_

Slipping off both shoes, Junior looked around to see where Tani had spoken from.

There she was, off to the right. The pregnant woman was headed his way, and at a respectable pace for her current condition. The telltale swell beneath her blue dress was pretty clear evidence of that.

Every time Junior saw it, it lifted his spirits, no matter how low they were.

Considering they weren't low already, that said something.

' _God, this day is good, and its staying good._ '

Junior let the smile that was crossing his face expand, as he closed the distance between him and the attractive brunette woman.

" What're you smiling about ? ", Tani admonished, as they reached each other, accompanying her question with a firm kiss.

" I got my reasons ", Junior informed her, as they pulled back from the kiss. " Looking at one of them right now, actually "

" Ohhhh, that's what I am good for. Well, can't say its something to complain about. "

" As if there's a downside to it ", agreed the SEAL. He reached out to flick a strand of Tani's long wavy hair away from her face.

" Even I haven't found a ' downside' to it yet. So, you and McGarrett have fun out there on the water ? "

Junior nodded. " I didn't know actually _not_ falling off could be so much fun. "

" I haven't heard a ' Thank you for the tips, hon ", Tani jabbed. " Am I going to have to wrangle that out of you, or- "

The SEAL's response was to kiss her again.

He followed it up with exactly what needed to be said. " Thanks for the tips, hon. "

" _That's_ better " Tani patted the side of Junior's face. " All I asked for was _some_ gratitude. Thank you for obliging. "

She turned back the way she'd come.

" Come, now. I don't know if you're hungry, but I am. Lasagna sound good ? "

" Don't answer that. _Of course_ it is. Come on. "

It was impossible for Junior not to follow. He couldn't help himself. After all, he'd been close by her side, literally and otherwise, for years now already, and the desire to to keep doing that was even stronger now.

He probably wound't have met her at all if it hadn't been for 5-0. Or Boss McGarrett. He was already- still, after all these years- grateful to the older SEAL for letting him

 _God, my job's not a job anymore_


	7. Its a joy, not a burden

" Agh ! Its always in the _morning_ . "

Bent over the sink, Tani mentally chewed out the unexpectedly strong wave of nausea that currently had a hold on her right now.

And it had to strike _now_ , of all times. Without any real warning, it'd sneaked up on her, then, like am ambushing spider, it'd made its presence known. Right while she was busy cleaning out one of her capped ceramic mugs, in preparation for filling it to the brim ( roughly ) with favorite tea: white .

The timing really was impeccable.

Impeccably _flawed_ , that was. It was as if it had a mind of its own, and followed her around, biding its time until morning rolled around, before cruelly deciding to strike. And, as if that wasn't bad enough ( even though it _was_ ), when it did, it had a aggravating tendency to do so while she was in the _middle_ of something and anything, no matter how big or small.

Wonderful. Really it was-

" _Eugh_. "

Wincing, Tani inhaled sharply, closing her eyes, and clenched the granite edge of the sink, as another wave of queasiness rose; one that was threateningly close to getting her to at least spit up, if not more. On impulse- not wanting to get any of _that_ in the sink- Tani quickly turned away from it, and toward the thankfully conveniently placed kitchen trashbin, which happened to be the very same one she'd upchucked into the day she'd revealed she was pregnant to begin with.

 _Thanks. Hope you're not going to get a repeat performance-oohaky. Uh oh_

Yeah. She _hoped_ it wouldn't.

Still, the little bin proved its usefulness yet again . For several seconds that soon became a _minimum_ of a minute, the dreadful sensation lasted, and each of them seemed to be twice as long as normal. Tani leaned over the bin, riding the margin between actually _puking_ , and _feeling_ like she wanted to, and not too faintly either. It was a fairly inevitable place to be.

 _Come on. What does it take to get rid of-_

The edges of the nausea wave were at the back of her throat. Breathing steadily in and out, Tani braced for the worst.

At least it wouldn't go in the sink.

Thankfully, another several more stretched out moments- and several controlled deep breaths later- it left her alone. Finally, it left her alone, slipping away like a ghost that knew where you lived, and wouldn't stop kicking down your door, but had decided it'd had its fun, and would show itself out.

The sickness was over. For now.

 _Thank God. That was the last thing I wanted this morning; because this kind of thing_ keeps _happening in the morning. Its like clockwork Ugh._

Exhaling yet again, Tani relaxed her clenched jaw on the sink's edge, and slowly straightened. She was apprehensive that the nausea would return without warning, as it had done several times before. Back then, as now, she'd been hit by a bout of " Feel like vomiting ? ", and and successfully fended it off, only for it to swoop back in, right when she'd thought it was _gone_ , and as a result of it, she'd wound up with spitted-up gunk _on the kitchen counter._

That hadn't been mortifying at all. At least she'd cleaned it up before Junior's noticed. Not that he wouldn't have understood- the SEAL took after his mentor in having a heart of gold- but Tani couldn't let a mess she'd made herself go uncleaned. Especially one like, well _that_.

Nobody likes finding spit up and vomit in their kitchen, after all.

This round, though, anyway, she was more careful. It ( the queasiness ) had stayed gone after leaving now. In its absence, everything slipped back to how it'd felt before.

" Ok. _That's_ done . " , Tani sighed, running the side of her hand across her mouth, and finding it was still dry. " Narrow call. Too narrow by half. "

" I _really_ need to get some ginger pills. "

Something, at least. Anything to fight and alleviate it, rather than, well, _this_ again. Of all the side effects of pregnancy, this arguably was arguably the most frustrating to live with.

Well, on second thought, that was a matter of _some_ conjecture. Feeling sick in the morning certainly wasn't the only effect that being pregnant had on her: Along with it, Tani had to contend with the miserable fact that not all her clothes fit properly anymore; indeed, some of them didn't fit at all. Then there was the aches in certian places, and back pain that felt like a knot tied in place and pulled tight by an invisible prankster. Last and not at all least, she was experiencing a gradually increasing difficulty in sitting and standing. The most innocuous and thoughtless movements- sitting and standing, you did them both without thinking about them themselves-were now getting a touch awkward. Now she _did_ actually have to think about them, maneuvering her recently encumbered form up and down.

 _And here's the absolute best part about all of those obstacles: I_ still _got a awhile before I get the_ rewards _of this._

Months and months, in other words. _Months_ and _months_ more of all of those wonderful things.

At least she _did_ feel better, _for the moment_.

That was something to be grateful for, and Tani took advantage of it to finish heating the mug of white tea up. After carefully straightening up, she returned to the sink, and a few minutes of cleaning it out and waiting for the hotpot to boil up some water later, she was topping off the well filled mug off with some cinnamon. The spice was an important touch, as the fierce, spicy taste was soothing to her, especially whenever that wretched morning sickness rocked up.

Not a surefire solution, but if nothing else, she loved the taste, and often in life, its the little things that count. _Crazy busy_ or not, you had to be able to appreciate those. Otherwise, it'd get to be too much, and if you weren't already stressed out, that was a good way to _get_ constantly stressed out.

For a pregnant woman, those " little things in life " were worth their weight in gold. It helped remind them of what had been normal before- and what was waiting for them at the other end of the tunnel, so so speak.

A few moments later, Tani was finally able to enjoy one of those, for her.

She was exactly where she wanted to be: seated ( which wasn't _exactly_ as graceful as it used to have been ) on the living room couch, with her mug of freshly prepared tea. It would've been an, well, _added effort_ to go back upstairs to find something to read or device to watch things on while she enjoyed the drink, but fortunately ( which was notable, considering her current condition ), she'd had the wherewithal to leave some reading material on the coffee table. A few magazines, and a romantic novel; all ones she'd read already, yes, but it was better than nothing. At least they warmed her up on the inside as much as the tea did.

While she'd been buy, it'd begun raining. Not a downpour, or a cloudburst, but it was coming down steady and quick. The telltale _tappa, tappa, tappa,_ of droplets was fairly audible as it showered everything, striking and hitting the glass windows. They overlapped, combining into a relaxing, mild background tempo- who needed classic music anyway ?

At least it wasn't a hurricane, either. The island'd had enough of those as it was. A few moderate rainstorms were a picnic compared to _those_ . Besides, a few moderate showers were always welcome.

Storm or not, rain or shine, it was also proving to be another slow day for 5-0. No cases big and high profile enough to warrant their attention so far. No doubt Danno was using this as an excuse to complain and kvetch about, well, _anything._ He'd be miserable otherwise, the salt mine. Even when they had freetime, even when they had no cases to tackle, old Mr Williams would trade his endless objections on how Steve conducted the investigations, for how Steve was now wasting his freetime in some way that Danno found foolish, or a flat out waste nonetheless- likely involving the treasured drink of SEALS: bullet coffee.

 _As usual for him. Otherwise, I'd think he was android._

It all brought a smile to Tani's face. The day had barely gotten going, but already, it was going well. Granted, it had so nearly gone very wrong a few minutes ago, but having dodged that bullet, she was taking the opening to sit back ( a touch easier than sitting forward ), and relax, at least for a while.

 _Only 8am. Not_ too _early. Some folks like to jump up at 5am. That's flat out_ ridiculous. _Got to get your hours in_

Mornings- _late_ mornings- were arguably the best section of the day. Everything was quiet, you had the whole day ahead of you, and ( generally ) , you could take things at your own pace and plan out what you were going to do, and in what order you wanted to do them in. In that way, they were basically the reverse of late nights and evenings, where you'd _already_ been through the day, and were left with sifting though how it'd all gone down. Reflection and contemplation, etc. Whether it was the beginning of the day, or the end, those were when you had the most room to sit, think, and plan.

Unless, if you were in 5-0, a case popped up, and you had to go scrambling out at the drop of a hat, to respond to a recent death or a news of some kind of b and e. Or, if you were a woman who was pregnant, morning sickness decided to come knocking and send you careening to the nearest bin in the hopes you wouldn't have to use it.

Tani was fortune enough to be both, and the honor of experiencing the latter.

 _I know. I know I was griping a little before, but now, well, it doesn't seem to matter so much anymore. Small price to pay, really._

 _Hold up. Its not even a ' price ' at all. It'll be worth it in the end._

Taking another sip of white, Tani let the rich burn of it run down her throat, automatically remembering- no, wait, she'd not forgotten in the first place- that she wasn't the only benefiting from it anymore.

It was why she'd cut out drinking certain things as well. She wasn't drinking or eating for herself anymore, after all.

By reflex, that thought led Tani to glance down at her belly, and slowly put a hand on it.

Well, it certainly looked _and_ felt pregnant- firm to the touch, and distinctly round beneath her loose top. It still felt enormous and prominent to _her_ , but looking at it, Tani had to admit that at _least_ it didn't look like she was fat.

 _Sure it does. Sweet little lies. The first to actually_ call _me that is_ seriously _in for it though._

Exhaling, she rubbed it a few more times. Tani was not a vain person, but part of her was still nostalgic for her pre-pregnancy days, when she could fit into any of her blouse tops easily, particularity the ones with buttons. Or, when she could indulge in spending over an hour swimming in the Pacific, as she'd so enthusiastically done when she was a child.

All that would have to take a backseat, though. It wasn't at all long, and Tani knew it. She'd always known it, from day 1 to this. At some point, at some moment on each of those days, she'd thought about what the ' end ' of pregnancy was.

True, it was hard. Getting ill. Feeling tired, sore, and slow.

On the flip side, though, there was something else Tani knew for certain: This was _worth_ it.

The self reminder brought another smile to her. It brought another feeling of warmth, but not from the hot tea.

 _God, I hope I actually am ready for this, because I feel like I am. I do._

Yes. It was worth it.


	8. Shadows and Fire

" Fighting what you hate is how you save what you love- not the other way around. "

* * *

Bamyan Provence, Afghanistan.

0900 hours.

Grid 25580005

AFO ' WolfPack '

SEAL operator Junior Reigs: ' Trident '

* * *

Junior Reigns wasn't sure if he was more infuriated or astonished by how _many_ RPG-7s the Taliban had.

Granted, it wasn't as if they were rare, or prohibitively expensive. The Soviets/Russians _had_ manufactured over _9 million_ of them, after all. Besides, this _was_ Afghanistan to boot, a country that said Soviets/ Russians had committed themselves to in a conflict that was essentially their version of Vietnam. It was no small wonder, of course, than the country was absolutely _littered_ with RPGs, and/or they'd found their way into the hands of all the locals and their mothers.

 _Damn things are a dime a dozen-!_

The one that was violently exploding a few yards away from him, showering him with clumps of cold soil, setting his eardrums painfully ringing and teeth vibrating, was at _least_ the 12th already, and the firefight was less than an hour old. The young SEAL braced himself against the juddering shockwave as best he could, ignoring the pointed sting of bits of rock pelting him as they were blown high, only to come cascading down.

All he could see was Afghanistan below him. The ground was all loose dirt and pebbles, with plenty of dust on top of and mixed in with it. It was that, the loose dust that was choking his throat, coating the inside of his mouth and sticking to his teeth.

 _Son of a-_

The world surrounding him sounded, for several seconds that actually _felt_ like seconds and not stretched out for at least twice their length, like his ears were plugged with water. Everything was muffled, distorted. He could still hear, but it wasn't clear; all garbled and indistinct.

Then, his hearing returned to normal with a rush, and with it came all the sounds of combat- the staccato chattering, cracking, and clattering of small arms fire, both all around and downrange of him: the AKs of the Taliban, and the SCAR-H MK17s of his SEAL brothers. The overlapping sounds of the weapons going off were craving the air apart, once again beating at his thoroughly-tested eardrums.

The Taliban attacking them were slightly more discipliend than most of the others,

It was business as usual.

 _Back to normal_. Junior pushed himself upright, spitting out a wad of muddy saliva into the ground, spared a quarter second to wish he could take a full swig from his still half-full canteen, then finally brought his own SCAR-17 ( which hadn't left his hand all along; it wouldn't ever, not even if he died here ) , up again, steadying the weapon in both hands, pressing his gloved palms against and around the strong barrel shroud.

" **Reigns** ! ", bellowed a baritone voice . " You gonna get him ?! Or I will- damn it ! He's behind that jagged rock again ! "

The conscious part of Junior's mind recognized the speaker, standing somewhere behind and to the right of him, if the voice's angle was anything to go by :

He remembered who it was. A buzzcut-sporting , Arizona-born SEAL named Jared Miller. He was a blunt speaking, quick tempered man who'd barely avoided getting into serious scrapes with officers more than once, but was otherwise a squared away, focused solider.

Who also happened to be packing a weapon tailor made for the wide open sight lines of an Afghanistan battlefield: an M14 EBR. Its unmistakable _crack, pop_ firing sound had been the _one_ sound that was cutting consistently through the rattling chatter of the enemy's AKs, who's bullets were still flying past within a scant few feet of Junior's helmeted head.

" Copy ! On it ! ", Junior yelled back, scanning along the edge of the ridge.

He definitely felt better now; the RPG's stun effects had worn off, and now he had his combat mind back in full gear . The mechanics of combat ultimately boiled down to making sure you _landed_ hits, and didn't _get_ hit. Find the enemy, line up the enemy in your sights, and kill him.

 _Got to actually_ do _the finding first, though. Come on, by the jagged rock-_

 _Wait. Is that a head poking up ?_

With the setting sun behind the crest of the ridge casting everything in a burnt orange hue, and with clouds of the grimy dust floating everywhere from all the white hot lead slamming into it, Junior couldn't be sure. He _wanted_ to be- that RPG spewer was priority target- but-

Automatically, Junior hunkered behind what cover he'd been using: a fallen tree trunk, as more adrenaline surged through him. It wasn't wise to keep your head up for long during a firefight, especially when you had a tricky shot ahead of you.

He swiveled his head, checking on the rest of the team.

Sure enough, Miller was right where he sounded to be, leaning around the corner of a towering, slab sided rock, blasting 7.62mm hollow point rounds at the enemy shooters, who were alternating between careening down the slope of the ridge toward the SEALs, and throwing themselves behind what cover there was on their side to take determined, but mostly inaccurate shots.

It was a sloppy advance, but it was a steady and driven one. The SEALs, as always, were outnumbered and outgunned. They were fighting a pitched battle against a numerically superior force, which was the last kind of fight a SEAL team wanted to be in. Ambushes and raids were a far cry from digging in and slugging it out with a sustained assault.

And one backed up by rockets, no less-

" Hostile, preppin' an RPG ! Jagged rock ! "

 _Keaton !_

Joshua Keaton, better known as " Spurs ", as with good reason. Stocky, with a dusting of bristly stubble on his chin, Keaton always called himself a Texan, before quickly adding that he was also American, as any true Texan should. He was surprisingly mild mannered- for a Texan, at least.

He'd called out from off to the left, and when Junior glanced over, he found the Texan smoothly poking his HK416 over the top of the boulder, standing high enough to get a good line on target- that jagged rock the enemy was so fond of.

 _Aha ! Found you !_

Junior rose, and sure enough, he spotted what he'd seen and _thought_ was someone's head behind the rock; but, now he was _sure_. And not only because some of the dust was settling; Keaton was drawing a bead on the RPG gunner, who's shoulders and upper body appeared from behind the rock, as the insurgent prepared to fire again.

Settling his SCAR-H's sights over the chest, Junior fired at him, with a short, controlled burst. His own 7.62mm rounds found the mark, and a half second later, the RPG was spinning into the air, as its wielder toppled out from behind the rock like a falling tree.

 _Gotcha !_

Another hostile, spotting what had happened right at that moment, sprang up from behind a dip in the ground that was being used as an improvised foxhole, and ran to retrieve the rocket. Junior put a stop to that with another methodically aimed burst.

He took cover again, needing to reload, as Miller's M14 barked out another cracking volley. Out the left corner of his field of view, Junior noticed 2 more enemy shooters attempting to move up while keeping each other covered, go down hard, their AKs tumbling.

 _2 less to deal with. Good job, Miller, good job. That's evened things up for us._

 _Somewhat. Still in a bad spot. We're tagging them as they come, but that's the problem; **they** **keep on coming.**_

 _Well, we have ammo, and they're nothing but thugs with old guns. All they have over us is numbers. Its a problem, but not a trap. Yet_

The SCAR-H's still-hot magazine dropped out, and Junior deftly tugged another one free from his web gear with fluidity born of months of training. In a handful of seconds, he'd slammed it home with a satisfying _clck,_ racked a round into the firing chamber, and re-shouldered the rifle.

 _Whole country's like this: one fight after another, against one invader or government after another. Its not even conflict; its a hurricane that sometimes dies down to a tropical storm, then flares up again._

 _And again. Yeah, but its our job to fight. Not reason why. At least not now._

" Frag out ! "

Keaton's shout was muffled by Miller's M14 opening up again. Junior carefully rose to re-engage, as an M67 fragmentation grenade sailed aloft from the Texan's glove. It exploded soon after- after landing between 3 Taliban who must've thought they'd scattered far enough to be out of range. The cloud of shrapnel tore through all of them.

But even as they died, Junior observed the heads and shoulders of half a dozen more of them appearing from over the top of the ridge.

All carried a buffet of the usual Soviet-era rifles, like their predecessors, and they soon brought them to bear, along with shouts of mixed Dari and Pashto. Muzzle flashes sparked from the weapons as their wielders engaged, while still rushing down the slope.

" Hostile reinforcements ! " . Keaton seemed to actually getting annoyed- or concerned. He wasn't outright _showing_ fear- of course- but he could see how bad the tables were sliding _not_ in the SEAL's favor.

" Tap city ! ", he added a half second later; shorthand for reloading. " Cover fire ! "

" Copy ! ", Junior and Miller both replied. They both reinforced the point with respective barrages from their weapons, focusing the streams, but not crossing them as they aimed to cut and keep the enemy down. It was something they were able to do quite well.

There were a _lot_ of them to take out, though.

The sun rose higher and higher, as the hour crept on, and turned into the next. The tempreture crept up with it, and Junior wasn't sure how much of the sweat he could feel on his skin- particularly his forehead- was out of stress, or the gathering heat-unless it was both, which was likely. The puffs and clouds of dust that were still getting kicked up all over the place seemed to be hanging in the air even longer, and they even seemed to be denser.

Junior was tempted to take his canteen right now, and swig from it, but even as he thought about it,and his hand began to dip toward it, he recalled that it was down to its last few dregs- one full gulp at best.

 _Got to conserve what I have left._

 _Besides, I'd hate to get a bullet through it while sipping._

Putting his mind, and weapon, back into the fight, Junior sighted up on two more Taliban attempting to set up a machine gun post with an RPK, and cut them both down with a burst of fire.

They went down easily, but there were, as always, more right behind them.

There always had been a lot of them, and for the first moment, Junior was getting the strong feeling it was too much for them. From left to right, without having to turn his head, Junior saw clusters of them arrayed in front of the SEALs, either hunkered down, or stubbornly looking for a way forward down the rest of the ridge, where the SEALs were standing their ground at its base, weapons blazing. Heavier hitters were arriving now- gunners wielding PKM and RPK machine guns, giving the Taliban a not-dismissable boost to their weight of fire.

The SEALs were countering with their own, but it wasn't enough. Not anymore, if it ever had been. The SEALs were following their instincts and training to the letter- engaging, taking cover, reloading, communicating-, and it was taking a toll on the enemy, without a doubt. Their dead lay where they'd fallen, scattered about alongside their dropped weapons.

And then more rushed over them. The situation was getting out of hand, fast.

 _Fast movers._

A loosely aimed but hammering volley of fire from one of the newly arrived PKMs sent Junior ducking for cover again. The focused cone of 7.62mm bullets chewed into the solid wood of the downed truck, sending needle splinters flying. The whole log vibrated, and Junior found himself sliding off of it, hugging the Earth instead.

 _We got to call the fast movers out of Bagram ! A couple of Eagles and cluster bombs will tidy this place right up_

 _Miller's got the SOFLAM-_

"RPGs ! RIDGE-TOP ! "

Junior thought it was Keaton who'd yelled right then. Or, perhaps it was Miller.

He couldn't tell, because half a second later, an explosion's shockwave tore apart the air around him.

* * *

 _Hhhh !_

Both Junior's eyes flew open together.

The RPG's booming echo died away like a dying thunderclap.

He gasped; a short, sharp inhale that only lasted a moment. The kind when you're genuinely shocked or stunned by something, whether you had your guard up or not.

Or when you'd been reliving one of the most harrowing experiences you'd ever lived through while in your sleep, and it reached that one certain point where it pulled you out and right back into the world of the living again.

Junior was awake _now_ , though, and it only took a few seconds to be aware of it. There were cool and slightly rumpled fabric sheets under him, not heated sand and dirt ( they were coarse and rough, and they got everywhere ). Above him, roughly visible in the dim lights, was a slowly and casually spinning wooden ceiling fan, and _not_ the pale blue, tinged with burnt orange colored sky of Afghanistan in the late morning.

He wasn't dressed in dusty combat rig and armor, either. White exercise shorts

 _It wasn't a nightmare ! It wasn't._

He lay motionless, breathing not quite back to normal, realizing there _was_ indeed the familiar, icy sensation of adrenaline running through him. His pulse was slowly edging its way back down from a rate barely shy of racing. His mouth even had that sandpaper-y dryness to it as well.

All what he'd felt during his days of being in combat, day in and day out, on battlefields on the other side of the world. _Especially_ on that _one_ day.

The same one he'd lived through, _again_ , _seconds_ ago.

 _Ok. Ok. Settle down. Relax_

 _It wasn't a nightmare. We ALL lived through that. Keaton did. Miller did too. And of course, I did. We did it._

 _We survived. We all came home._

He rubbed his palms over his face, exhaling again, as the last remnants of the adrenaline faded away. The tingling in his spine and veins finally began to die down as well, leaving him once again in that state of calm that you generally found yourself in after waking up normally.

Not getting jolted by a memory of when you thought you had a big chance of dying.

 _But we didn't ! None of us did ! Why am I remembering this, **now** ? Its hardly even popped up that much. Why now ?_

He rolled over onto his right side, bracing himself up on one hand, inexplicably needing to check and see what his surroundings looked like. He knew he wasn't in the mountains anymore, but somehow, he felt now, that he _had_ to look anyway. He wanted to see it again.

He didn't know why. He had to, though. And about a second later, was glad he had.

Tani was, as usual, close by. Lying stretched out beside him.

She was also on her back, long dark hair splayed out around her head, and she was still sound asleep, if the gentle rise and fall of her chest was any indicator. Junior remembered then that she was a habitually deep sleeper. It wasn't that much of a surprise that if _one_ of them would jolted to wake up in the middle of the night by some kind of electrifying memory , it wouldn't be her.

That, and there was something else.

 _That's right. I knew there was a reason I felt at home so fast_

Even in the dim light, Junior could see the outline of a distinctive, rounded bump under the duvet, right where Tani's midsection would be.

It was about as big as he expected, considering Tani was roughly halfway through. Among all the effects being pregnant was having on her, an increased for good, uninterrupted sleep was definitely near the top. She tended to fall asleep first, and wake up last.

For now, though, she was quite contentedly asleep, breathing softly. Aside from the gentle whirring of the overhead fan, it was the only white noise in the room.

Both of them were pleasant and relaxing. Junior's pulse slowed and ebbed, finally getting back to normal again.

Part of Junior was still attuned to the sounds of, and the overall realm, of being in combat. It was part of why he'd even showed up at McGarrett's door so long ago; he wanted to _keep_ serving, to _keep_ himself ready to go back into action f need be, and to _keep_ giving back to those who counted on and needed _him_ the most, as an American soldier: the American public.

 _America first_

But the second was so much better. _Much_ better. After all, _that_ told him, more than anything else he could think of, that he was more than home again. To come home again after multiple tours overseas in hostile territory had exhausted him, compelled him to find a new career back where he'd come from, and so to have his family waiting with their arms out to welcome him, had been essentially exactly what he'd could've asked for.

 _Then there's Tani. You don't **ask** for someone like that._

Belatedly, Junior realized he'd been watching her sleep. He blinked, then slowly smiled as he instantly noted there was nobody around to notice.

 _Why not ? We were always compatible, and now look at us. And I thought I had plenty who cared about me soon as I got back. Well, actually, I did. Blessed with an amazing family. But, after I met her-_

 _Surprising nobody, I think._

 _" Nnnn, Mermainds, nnh "_

Tani's random sleep-talking was icing on the cake, and Junior couldn't help but smile broadly. If he hadn't still been tired, he'd have laughed out loud.

He finally dropped his hand, and let his head lightly bounce to touch the pillow again. If he wasn't sure he could get back to sleep before, he was now. He was already drifting off.

Junior was sure he'd relive more memories, again.

But, what with _where_ he was, and _who_ was with him, he didn't mind.


	9. Fear not

_' Remember, Steve:_ Coffee is coffee _Though, that being said,_ this _swill is giving that a run for its money. Geez_

Steve's judging of the quality of the mud that qualified as coffee was fair enough, as he saw it. Any Navy man understood how much coffee mattered, and he was no exception: all those years of surviving on USN- issued Java had taught him to develop his own barometer for the stuff, and by it, he'd decided that what he was drinking now, was pretty close to the bottom.

For all of that, though, he was at least grateful that he had _something_ to drink with a even a hind of a kick of caffeine in it, because he needed it right now. The human body tended to rely rather heavily caffeine to keep itself running when it _technically_ should be asleep. It was near the top of the list of things from Steve's Navy days that'd stuck with him the most.

 _Even if its garbage grade. Caffeine content's enough if its the only thing between you and sleep, when you have any reason to stave it off-_

Speaking of the fundamental requirement of sleep, Steve was somewhat aware that he was losing out on some right now. The sun wasn't up yet, not even enough to turn the sky that distinct shade of burned orange. Not _completely_ unfamiliar with getting up this early, Steve was already up, and mostly awake- standing against one of the walls of a waiting room at the Kapiolani Medical Center, no less.

Being a hospital, it was, of course, up and thriving at such an outrageous hour, lit by banks and rows of its strikingly bright florescent ceiling lights. Its population was typical of a hospital: a usual mix of nervous, partially hypochondriac patients eager/ not eager to be seen, hustling, methodically busy staff on their way to show them into their appointments, and chocolate+flowers-bearing visitors optimistically there to cheer up their under the weather loved ones, all populating its persistently cleaned, generally pearly white halls and ( most iconic of all ) the tension charged, all-topics-under-the-sun magazine laden waiting rooms.

One of which Steve was currently whiling away the hours in. He'd at least at the time to put on some comfortable shoes- some crocs with holes at the toes. Steve was more of a boots and sneakers kind of guy, but the crocs had somehow ended up being worn here instead- most likely because they were the first things his feet had found on his stumbling way out the door.

They did help, as standing with sturdy shoes didn't let let you fall asleep so easily. Still either way, that wasn't the real problem. _Waiting_ wasn't the problem. It was that he was doing so in a _hospital._

 _Hospitals._ They were nominally there to heal you, so _why_ did they have this torture chamber effect on you ? If you were the kind to get that way around doctors, than hospitals always felt so, _edgy_. Like the place wanted to be all _dark_ , and _emotional_.

Steve shuddered, though whether that was because of his lingering white coat syndrome, or his rather low opinion of the hospital coffee, he wasn't sure. Probably both, though if he had to guess, he'd say it was the former. Being in a place where someone who had a deadly disease might be carried into made him less comfortable than charging headlong into gunfire.

 _Danno would be the first person on Earth to agree_ that's _true_. _Along with more than a few unfairly biased comments on my mental state. What does he know ?_

He swirled the " coffee " around in the foam cup, considered taking another sip, then decided he'd already gotten enough caffeine to last another few minutes before needing another series of sips, at least. Certainly from _this_ concoction.

 _' They're liable to end up putting their own patients in the morgue with " coffee " like this_

 _Besides, I could use getting off my feet for a bit. It won't hurt_

Exhaling, he glanced around, and found one of the nearby chairs was unoccupied,along with most of its neighbors ( This particular room was thankfully not crowded, unlike many of its counterparts ). He headed went over to sit in it, being careful not to lean far enough to let his back touch the wall. The cushion was a _tad_ on the hard side, but he'd ridden in enough Chinooks and Blackhawks to have gotten used to this middling level of comfort long ago.

Besides, he had significantly more untenable things to deal with right now.

After all , he wasn't here for _his_ own health; that'd taken enough of a battering over the years, what with numerous gunshot wounds ( including that one hit to his liver that'd nearly killed him, if it hadn't been for Danno donating his, or when that dirty bomb went off with him nearby to it ), to the point where he was a lot more concerned about the welfare of his team. They'd always first and foremost anyway. He'd always been unable to put himself above anyone he trusted, let alone anyone serving under him.

They weren't the the fresh faced rookies that needed his attention anymore. Not that he'd ever stop giving it to them. That's why he was here, fighting off that heavy-eyelid feeling, and _not_ getting some of the limited sleep that the most he usually managed to ever get: If any of his family were in serious medical trouble, he'd be there for them. Period. After all, he'd done the same thing for Grace when that nasty car accident had hurt her so badly, she'd wound up in the ER.

 _That's what I do. I can't help it. Which is good._

 _Maybe that's why they'd followed me all those years._ Something _made them want to' sure couldn't be Danno's sunny disposition . Well, I hope I've taught them well enough. Least I can do is always look out for them anyway._

Absently mindedly checking his watch ( waterproof, of course ), he noted that it was now 6:00am.

 _Who needs sleep ?_ As if to prove the point, he took another sip of the ' coffee ', for no other reason than he had a strange lingering uncomfortability with letting coffee go un-drunk. The taste definitely hadn't improved, but somehow, it was marginally better than nothing. Rubbing a hand across his slightly-more-lined-than-it'd used-to-be face, Steve restrained a yawn.

Caffeine and bright lights. Sleep was stubbornly gnawing at him-

" Commander ! "

Someone called out to him.

He glanced up, blinking reflexively. Ahead of him, rounding the corner of the corridor that fed into the room, Junior Reigns had appeared, striding his way at a brisk and hurried walk.

Steve quickly noted his expression. It wasn't contorted with stress, or dragged down by sadness- Steve had seen enough of both of those to be able to tell them apart. So, at the very least, what the kid had to say wasn't bad news.

Could it ?

" Junior ! ". Setting his mediocre cup of joe down on the of the magazine tables between the chairs, Steve stood to greet the other SEAL, clasping his forearm with both hands, pumping it once.

" I _told_ you: Don't get all formal on me, especially when something like _this_ is going on ", Steve reminded him. He knew Junior couldn't always help himself, but it didn't hurt to gently point it out again, even if Steve strongly doubted Junior would ever stop himself from doing that entirely.

" I know, si- McGarrett ", Junior looked about as tired as Steve felt- his semi fro hair was not fully combed, for example- though he wasn't behaving like he was. Steve was mildly jealous on some private level that the younger SEAL wasn't blinking and rubbing away tiredness as much.

The only logical explanation on how _he'd_ managed to stave off exhaustion was, of course, coffee. That, and having something wrong with the pregnant woman he was living with.

 _There's no rest for the wicked, is there._

Nodding, Steve fatherly patted Junior's shoulder, before letting go and stepping back.

" How is she, kid ? ", Steve decided to get right to the point. " That's what matters now, anyway. Come on, tell me, If something'd gone wrong, you'd have said so . "

That seemed to do the trick. Junior visibly relaxed a few degrees, letting his shoulders drop. Steve didn't fully realize until right then that they'd been up.

 _We're all a little tense here_

" Tani's- she's ok. She's _ok_ ", he stated, confirming what Steve was already so certain of. " Woke up with cold sweats, and- and lower torso pain. That scared us the most, but- "

" Take it easy ", urged Steve. " Relax- I want to hear what happened. "

" And, _thank God_ , so is our kid. We got a scare, for sure, but they're both ok. "

" He shook his head, exhaling. The lingering effects of deep-seated stress and worry were still on his face, though a small grateful smile had appeared.

Steve found himself smiling the same way too. He'd been on pins and needles as well, even if not nearly as much, needless to say. That was beside the point, anyway.

" I _know_ , I dragged you out of bed, and all the way out here- ", Junior loosely waved a hand, then rubbed the back of his neck with it.

 _I am not sitting on a high horse here, kid._ Steve attempted to interrupt with a raised palm, to say it was no trouble at all, but Junior went on anyway.

"Sorry if you were getting some serious shuteye. I would've have woken you if it wasn't something big. Thanks, though. Thank you, sir. "

 _The kid really can't help but feel knee high to me some days, even now._ Steve had to remind himself. _Not only because we're SEALs; he still remembers what I did, bringing him onto the team at the get-go. Its some kind of debt he feels he owes me, I think_

" Don't _apologize_ , alright ? ", Steve insisted, gesturing to reinforce the point. " I've woken up for _much_ worse reasons. At even earlier hours, too. "

" Ah, right. BUD/S, eh ? "

" What else comes close ? Nothing but fire breathing NCOs with hearts of flint. "

It was a fair point that couldn't be argued, at least not between them. It was a good moment of levity between brothers, and while it didn't fully chase away the last remnants of the tension that'd been lingering overhead, it did get rid of a lot of it. It was another of those holdovers from their military careers.

 _Those were some days, all right._

 _"_ Well, anyway. I'm always here to help ", Steve pressed a palm to his chest on _I'm. "_ Relax. Like you said, everything _ok_ with them. "

Once again, emphasizing the _them_. _That_ especially mattered.

" Looks like I needed more of a reminder than I thought, huh ?. "

" You're still young ", gently reminded the older SEAL. " Plenty left to learn. "

" I don't doubt that. ".

It was at that moment that their prolonged exchange was finally interrupted, when a hospital staffer, white coat waving, abruptly also rounded the corner at slightly faster than a normal walking pace, and addressed them.

" Mr- oh ! Commander McGarrett ! ", she exclaimed, coming to a quick stop, and easily recognizing him at once. The old(er) shaven haired SEAL had indeed become recognizable across the island over the years, establishing quite the reputation for himself.

" Hello miss ", Steve nodded. He was always polite- _usually_ at least, and when it suited him. Or, if both applied, such as now.

" Did , something go wrong in there ? I was told by this kid here that nothing did ".

" Oh, don't worry ", the staffer promptly assured. " No complications. The attending doctor can tell you more, but that's the essence of it. "

Nodding again as he listened, Steve momentarily- emphasis on _momentarily_ , it lasted for a scant few seconds- thought about all the other times members of the 5-0 unit,along with family members and those they'd run into along the way, had been hospitalized. The task force had a dangerous job, and it'd handed them, and anyone close to them, their share of injuries.

This was in a league on its own, though. Steve hadn't been sure what to expect when he'd first arrived; even if not the worst, then at least something. He didn't want to go right to pessimistic, but he wanted to be sure nonetheless.

Well, now he was.

 _All worried for nothing. Exactly the way I like it. Danno could take a few hints_

" Good, good. Now I can actually relax. "

That earned a small smile from the staffer, before she turned back to Junior. " Oh. Mr Reigns, she's asking for you. "

" You're invited too, McGarrett. Of course. "

The " needless to say ", nature of that was not lost on Steve, but let it slide. There was no harm in it, after all.

He raised his eyebrows anyway, feigning surprise, before glancing at Junior.

" Well, kid ", he remarked, tipping his head in the direction of the corridor.

" Mind taking point ? "

* * *

Tani, like most reasonably sane individuals, was _not_ a fan of hospitals.

Along with most of the men on 5-0, she _always_ got that nagging feeling of anxiety whenever she was in one. White was normally a pleasant, soothing color, but in a hospital , the abundance of white-coat wearing doctors and staffers was pretty much nothing but a reminder of all the myriad of reasons you could end up here. If at all possible, she'd steered clear of them. Hypochondria or no, she didn't care for them.

That, of course, wasn't an option anymore nowadays. Pregnancy had turned Tani's entire opinion and standing toward hospitals on its head- she didn't have the luxury of avoiding them anymore. The telling thing was, she found she didn't want to anymore.

" Tell me again ", stated the brunette, in a tone that could best be called _Be as straightforward as possible_ , " That there's nothing, _long term_ ,to worry about. Right ? "

Propped up at a reasonably comfortable angle on a bed, Tani made a determined effort to fight off the sensation of unease that was stubbornly hanging around her. She definitely didn't look at the white coated doctor who was checking the readouts of the claptrap of machines that were still attached to her.

" I know I asked enough once already; I'm sorry. I can't help it. "

To his credit, the gynecologist - a middle aged, partially balding man named Dr Tuan- was clearly not unused to dealing with this element of the job, and remained patitently good natured with her. " No need to worry, Miss Rey. I've heard much worse. "

" Yeah, I- well, I wouldn't want to add to that. My nerves are shot right now. "

" There's nothing to be ashamed of ", the Dr assured her. " That's how a mother, or in your case, upcoming, should be. "

 _I hope so. I really hope I am,_ said upcoming mother thought.

Disturbed to some degree as she may have been, Tani at least had to admit that she wasn't uncomfortable; hospital pillows were of better quality than its food- the highest praise it'd ever get- and the room itself was nicely in the zone of temperate. Tani didn't tolerate cold anymore.

Or larger-than necessary stays in hospitals, for that matter. Even one as nice as this one.

 _All that matters is that baby's ok_ , _and he is_. _That's- Thank God its ok._

" Tani ? How's my girl doing ? "

A welcome deviation had arrived, in the form of that Junior had now appeared in the doorway. Steve, bless him, was there as well.

 _Steve's here ? Not complaining, but- well, he's basically gone anywhere he wants anyway. Glad here's one of them_

" You kids dragged me out of bed for _this_ ? ", Steve followed Junior inside, thumbs hooked into his pockets, doing a reasonable job of looking calm. He glanced around, taking in the decor and layout of what was painfully a _hospital_ room, no matter how pretty it was dressed up as.

Junior at once went to Tani's side, as Steve addressed the doctor.

" So, doc ", he said. " I promise this is the last time you'll hear this if you have already: Is there anything to worry about right now ? Or, of immediate concern down the road ? "

" Fortunately, no. ", Dr Twan replied reassuringly. " Her vitals have been reading green across the board, and I am pleased to report that the same can be said for the unborn child. "

" Is that right ? ". Steve asked, looking concerned again, like a dad would. " What happened in the first place, ? "

" Unexpected contractions, followed by sharp pains. ", the physician explained. " They were of considerable strength-"

 _I don't want to begin worrying again too ,_ Tani thought. _I need to- if anything_ actually _goes wrong, God forbid, I'll know for sure here._

She closed her eyes tightly, exhaled, then opened them. Looking down, she was greeted by the distinctive outline of her bump. It was always visible now, even though at the moment it was covered by both her loose dress, and the the rumpled sheets of the bed. Anytime someone repeated the word ' baby ' or the phrase ' unborn child ', and she'd usually wind up staring at it for a moment or two.

It was why she was here, after all. For _him._ He didn't even have a _name_ , yet. They couldn't decide, and they knew how much _that_ mattered.

Sometimes, her emotions got in the way ( more so than usual for a woman ), and that'd probably been a big reason why she'd been, well, _agitated_ , to use one of a litany of words. Still, talk about her child somehow managed to, well, center her. It was as confusing as it was scary. Some days, she felt like a child herself sure of what she wanted, and that could handle it, but also scared and not sure she wouldn't do something terribly wrong-

 _Stop it. Stop it, enough !_ She touched her belly again, praying to sense some kind of movement from the little guy.

Her heart soared when she was certain there was a tiny kick.

Junior hadn't said anything in the meantime. After coming up to her before, he'd seated himself on the same small well-padded chair he'd occupied previously, and reached out to hold Tani's hand in a firm ' I am right here ' grip as Steve got an update from Doctor Tua. Through it, he kept running his thumb back and forth over Tani's wrist.

It was the little, seemingly minor gestures, that she loved, and Junior knew it.

" You know that feeling you get, when your old boss turns up to check on you ? ", he remarked. " Its like you're a rookie again. "

" Oh, you're being so _mean_ , Junior .", Tani admonished, though she was nonetheless finding what he'd said to her amusing. " Mr McGarrett can't help it if he has to fret over us. "

" I _can_ hear you both, by the way. "

The aforementioned ' older boss ' interjected from across the room. He pointed a finger for emphasis. " Haven't lost my hearing _yet._ "

" But your hair is grey. "

" Ohh, playing the ' grey hair ' card, ok ? Well, next you see Detective Williams, look at his face. It has more creases than an elephant, _and_ he's going bald. "

None of them could resist laughing at that. Mostly because it was true- not that curmudgeon Danno was unaware of it. Or that nobody had ever said them to him, which they had. Besides, it was hard to annoy Danno more than he already was.

" Alright, alright, ", The older SEAL put a hand up. " As much fun as I am sure you're having taking shots at me, I think I've overstayed my welcome here. You're in good hands, Tani, yeah ? "

Tani looked over at Junior. " I'd say so. "

" Glad to hear it. _Now_ , I _might_ get some sleep. "

Steve rolled his head around a little, loosening his neck muscles up, before sending a quick glance over at the clock on the wall.

8:00 am

 _If it wasn't for the coffee, not sure I'd have lasted this long. Well, they'll be ok without me now. Until they need me again, which I don't doubt they will. Because they're not rookies anymore, but you always come through for your kids_

" Well, I'll be heading out now. Going to stop by Kamekhona's for something to actually eat before I hit the office. Bye, you two . "

With waves from the former rookies as farewells, Steve showed himself out.

It was good to be on his way out of this place-hospitals were nearly as uncomfortable to be in as _courthouses._ Still, he didn't have anything against coming through for his rookies. They were always worth his time.

 _Glad I found them. Well, Junior turned up on my door, but that's beside the point_

He did still want coffee, though. Something that left a pleasant taste in his mouth.

That hospital swill was _poison._

* * *

 **Rey-Reign house. 2 hours later:**

The upside to living with a Navy SEAL- one of them, at least- was they tended to have plenty of high carb food around. All the high intensity, high risk ops that SOF men tended to run over the course of their careers were fairly intensive energy-for-the-body wise. Having assess to plenty of food that would and could keep you going was something they put a premium on.

If you shared space with one day in and day out, then you'd have plenty of pasta, bread, oats, and other wonderfully bottom-of-the-food-pyramid choices available.

" You're a hero, Junes ", Tani told him, tucking into _another_ slice of toast. It was her 5th- or 4th, she wasn't sure- and didn't care.

" Of course, if you'd _forgotten_ to stock this, I'd have had to kill you. "

The hero in question raised an eyebrow , looking up from the KimbleBook he'd been working on. " Somehow, I think you're serious. "

" Am I ? You won't know, because you _didn't_ forget. This is exactly what I needed after what went on this morning. Thank you. "

As she bit into her as-of recently- favorite food with an audible _krnch, krnch_ , Junior watched for a few seconds, feeling a smile tug on the corners of this mouth.

 _Back to normal she is. Well, she still has been, but things were tense for a bit back there medcenter. Couldn't calm down there until i knew our kid was ok_

His thoughts automatically began to wander off that way, even as he tried not to. _Slight correction_ : _she_ seems _ok. But there no way she's not affected by what happened back there. We both know it. Thing is, she doesn't want it to show._

He had two that he was looking out for these days. Both he and Tani were, and every day, neither of them forgot that . It was pretty much impossible to do _that._ Life was definitely different in a whole new way.

A better way.

Putting the kindle down, Junior stood and turned toward Tani, already running through a list of things to say to open this close-to-the-heart question.

 _brrg, brrg, !_

The doorbell sounded right then, a digital noise that could easily get your attention, even if you had every loud device in the kitchen running. As none of them were at the moment-

 _Brrg, brrg, !_

" Don't tell me _I_ have to answer that. " Only half-serious, Tani tipped her head in the direction of the aforementioned door, gesturing at it. " That's _your_ job. "

" When did we ever agree on that ? " Junior considered objecting, but immediately remembered that wouldn't be a wise plan. Pregnant women were notorious for, well, _unpredictable_ mood changes, unless you complied with them. Quietly too. You were openly inviting trouble if you didn't.

Going over to do as she wanted, then, Junior pried open the door. Standing on the other side, was none other than Danno Williams himself.

The old(er) man shrugged with a dry smile, as if it'd been _pouring_ rain outside, and they'd only _now_ let him in.

" Hello. Its only me, sorry. Not the caveman. "

Hearing the Great McGarrett referred to as a "caveman " had Junior momentarily fighting the urge to smirk. That those two hadn't stopped taking shots at each other was a constant source of amusement that he'd hate to be without. The two older men couldn't help themselves; they were like the proverbial eternal conflict between cats and dogs.

 _And they'd die for each other anyway. Yes, really. They actually would._

 _"_ Daniel Williams ! Hey there ", Junior greeted him.

Raising a brow in moderate surprise- he was not usually referred to as " Daniel "-, Danno pointed at himself. " Who's _Daniel_ ? "

" Upset your mother didn't give you a more, _badass_ name ? "

" Sure, sure I am. Come back next month, and I'll be " Tex McGraw ", or something else suitably Top Gun like that. "

" That will impress McGarrett at last ", the SEAL declared with confidence.

" So, out of curiosity, what brings you here ? "

" Hm ? Oh, right, right, the explanation for my showing up unannounced. "

Danno held up a Whole Foods wrapped bag in one hand, and gently shook it back and forth.

" Heard _someone_ here is a fan of rye bread. Can't bake myself, so I figured, why not ? ' Sides, I also heard that someone wound up at the hospital this morning. At the crack of dawn too, which no human who's sane should be awake at. Which does not include McGarrett, obviously. "

Danno's brand of humor wasn't as sarcastic as Danno's, and Junior found that kind was better- even though Danno wouldn't be the same otherwise.

" Well, if you came all the way here- ", Junior stood aside, and let the 5-0 veteran inside. " I'm sure Tani will be pleased with what you've brought her ".

" Yeah. Glad to present my truly humble present, I am. "

Shucking his shoes, Grover strolled further into the house. He turned his head left and right, taking it all in.

" Not too bad of a place you two have here ", he noted. " It even seems somewhat clean to boot, too ! "

" _That_ is mostly due to me, ok ? ". Having easily overhead the New Jerseyan, Tani appeared through the kitchen doorway, with a mildly bemused expression. " Nobody else does anything around here. Oh, and hello. "

" How about that . She's selling me short again. ", Junior observed. " As usual. "

" You poor, tortured boy. ", Danno chuckled. " Thanks, by the way. I can always use a good laugh- especially when its at someone else's expense. "

" Looking good ", he nodded at Tani, smiling as he did. " Especially after last night ! When I heard, I thought " Ohh, I have a bad feeling about this. " Why do you do things like this to me ? "

" _Stop_ it, old man. ", Tani chided, gently laughing. " You're even more sensitive than I remember from when I was still a rookie. "

" With age comes wisdom, kid. Also hypertension, depression, and vastly increased paranoia over the younger folks you know. Which includes both of you. I have a right to be worried. ".

Danno became somber for a moment. He didn't say anything for a second or two, as Junior moved to Tani's side.

" Care to sit, sir ? ", he offered. " Maybe a drink ? "

" You're too nice. Orange juice will do nicely, by the way, if you have any. "

Beckoning to the kitchen, Junior led both of them into the room.

Pulling aside one of the chairs, Danny made a point of making Tani sit in it. " Ok- _you're_ _sitting,_ understand ? You've been through enough already to keep walkin' around so much. Let's go"

" Yes, I know. I'm not made of glass. ", Tani mildly protested. Still, she did as he wanted She understood he couldn't help it.

" Good girl. ", Danno nodded approvingly as Junior set a glass of cold OJ nearby.

" Here you go, old man. "

" I'll let _that_ slide ", Danno directed a sideways glance at the SEAL. " Seems you're hard enough to deal with. "

" _You_ are the one who said, and I quote " _Walkin_ ' ". "

Shaking his head, Danno took a sip of the OJ. " Kids today. You're all Grammar Nazis. "

" _Someone_ has to be concerned with proper speech. "

" If you're so hung up on it, then come over and teach Grace. All those years of SMS-ing have taken their toll.

" Oh, and speaking of being concerned- ", he went on, addressing Tani. " Its bad enough I have to worry about my son's future and emotional health, what with him and Danny's kid serious about being a thing, but now, you go making me worry about you like this ? Why ? "

He wasn't entirely serious, but wasn't entirely joking either, something the former rookies quickly noticed. It was impossible not to. They'd _always_ been quick to catch on. Even if Danno had been subtle about it, they'd have known.

Tani in particular. She respected and looked up to all the founding/ longtime members of 5-0, including Danno. She'd once called him " a blonde pompadour who talks with his hands ", which was a fairly accurate description of the East Coast man. For all his constant kervetching, he wouldn't let that stop him from being the Italian, fussy, moody uncle of the 5-0 ohana.

" For what its worth, I didn't get any enjoyment out of that experience. ", Tani didn't hide at least some of her lingering upset from it. " Its always good to be home after something like that. "

Definitely affected

" Yeah, there's something to be said for a full night's sleep- getting up at 4am doesn't come easily. Even for me. ", supplied Junior.

Oh

Tani smacked his knee under the table, but had to fight off a grin.

" At least you have the decency to _pretend_ to care . " Danno rolled his eyes, but got the gist of it nonetheless. " That's more than Steve's ever done for me. Because he's a lead-footed _cretin_ "

There was no end of the insults the great Salt Miner had in his pocket, and the former rookies were as amused by them now as they'd been the first week of when they'd begun hearing them.

" I have to say, though: I am glad to see you're ok, myself. Takes a load off my back. Your both know I am here for you. "

It didn't matter how much you knew something was true; having it reaffirmed was always welcome. Danny himself sometimes wondered if he was getting actually sentimental in his age. It was the only explanation.

Well, it could've been worse. He could've turned into a deranged tool, like Steve. That man was a bad influence on everyone around him-and worst of all, he actually thought he had the opposite effect.

 _Madman_

" That we do. ", nodded Junior. " Don't forget it, either. "

" Ha ! " , the old(er) man finally laughed at that, shaking his head in a _why do I bother with either of you_ kind of manner. Things were lightening up, and getting back to normal.

" I know I've pretty much gone soft-minded these days, and most of my hair is gone- "

" I thought that was because of McGarret's, _exuberant,_ crime fighting style that he drags you along for ", interjected Junior.

Tani giggled. " And your face isn't looking so great, either. "

Danno sighed. " I was actually working up to saying _something_ emotional and pithy, but now I see even you two like taking shots at me more than Steve does. "

" Maybe you'd rather have a drink with _him_ then. "

" You know something ? I wouldn't mind. And that frightens the hell out of me. I'll become as deranged as he is. Great. Grace will hate me. "

The old(er) New Jerseyan shook his head, clicking his tongue. When he looked up at them again, though, the corner of his mouth actually turned up a bit.

Not much of a smile, but real ones aren't usually big. He shrugged.

" Oh, well. You're _all_ my ohana. And I wouldn't give it up. Not ever, and not for anything."

* * *

Eventually, the Jersey man took his leave of them, promising to be less of a stranger in the future.

" I think he made the right call, abandoning Chicago as a home. Now _we_ have him around to fuss over you. " Junior eased the door shut, then locked it. " Aside from me, that is. "

"Tiring, isn't it ?". Tani was already right behind him, and she lightly, but affectionately, touched his shoulder. " Thanks, if I haven't said it. Or even if I have. "

She was right, of course; she had said it, but Junior didn't care. Nothing good in life ever came without serious effort, after all.

" You got me there. ", admitted the SEAL.

" Speaking of which- "

Tani seemed to hesitate- only for a moment, but it was there. Junior turned around, and he noticed her expression. Nervous. Concealed, but nervous.

 _Its mood changes again, isn't it ? Again, right ? I know how to deal with th-_

 _Wait a second._

It wasn't a bad thing, of course. Junior moved closer, right about to ask exactly what, but then Tani spoke up again.

" Junes, Danny wasn't the only one who was worried- "

She stopped again, lips pressed together, and looking off to one side, as if hesitant to say anything else.

" Tani ? ", Junior didn't want to press, but he couldn't help himself. Even if he'd wanted to.

" I didn't want to be this while he was here. Even if he already knew, and I don't think he didn't "

Exhaling, Tani stepped closer. Well, as close as she could, with the size of how her bum was now. It actually was beginning to get in the way a little now; a pretty significant reminder of there weren't going to be two of them in this house much longer.

Even so, Tani got both arms around him, with one lightly clutched over his shoulder, keeping them close together. It was a grasp Junior was keenly familiar with.

It brought back a lot of powerful memories, and got his attention.

" Tani, are you allright ? "

She began crying.

It wasn't loud, or bawling sobbing. Not theatrical, either. Of course not. It was _real_ : steady, quirt, and heartfelt.

Junior couldn't remember Tani crying in front of him, let alone on him. But as it happened, he realized two things:

That female tears really did make men feel uncomfortable. But, far more important:

He _hated_ watching her be so upset.

" Hey, hey, Tani, its _ok_ ", Junior already had been embracing her back, but now he held on even more. Their foreheads were nearly touching now, and Junior was sure he could detect the salt in her tears.

Now he _really_ wanted to make her feel better. It was intolerable to have her be like this.

" Junes, I'm sorry. ", Finally, Tani managed to speak, even if it came off stuttery, and slightly breathless.

" Its- Junes, I was- "

Another pause, then-

" Junes, I was scared about our baby. I was terrifying. I should've said it earlier, I _know,_ but you've been through so much to help me. "

" It was a mistake. ", She held him tighter. " I'm sorry. "

Junior wasn't caught off guard by this admission. It was a confirmation of what he'd known for a while. It was no secret to him that she'd been struggling with those feelings, but now-

There'd been nothing to hide, anyway. It was complicated, to know when you were sure was right to open up. Now was then.

 _This is our_ child _, after all. Nothing seems like enough, But I want to anyway. Now that I know how she is._

" Tani , listen to me ", Junior carefully rested his palms on the edges of her jaw, and looked her in the eyes. " You _do_ know that all 3 of us are ok. "

He was careful to stress _3._

" But, you being so scared ? That's _not_ something to be hidden. Know why ? Because that says you can be a good mother. That's why you were so scared. "

Finally seeing what the hospital experience had done to her-and now admitting what it'd done with himself- actually came as a relief. Not much, but it did.

 _I've been shot at, and nearly killed in disturbingly wide variety of ways, at least a hundred times. But, for all of that, its better it be me than her._ Especially _now. Even more now. I can't even begin to say how much_

Neither of them could say how much, and they knew that. That wasn't the point.

For a stretch, they didn't say anything. They wanted the moment to last, and besides: nothing seemed right to say.

" Junes ? "

Tani sounded a tad better. Less disturbed, and more optimistic. _That_ was something to smile about. Junior was glad to hear it.

" Yes ? "

" I don't think we have long to go. _God_ , I hope we're ready. "

Junior didn't argue. Mostly because there was nothing to argue against. Months had rolled past from when they'd found out she was expecting , and they were that much closer to her due date. Things were about to come to a head.

Tani had a point. The biggest change of their lives _was_ around the corner. A good change, yes, but such a massive one, too.

 _Are we ? Its moot, I know, but-_

" Yes. I do think that we are. " Junior's response came without letting that other thought finish., because it didn't belong.

He looked her right in the eyes to be sure she got every word.

" We've got this. We know that. "

He knew she did.


End file.
